The
nickel(II) complex [κ3-BnPPC]NiBr
(1), stabilized by an orthometalated-phosphine benzyl
group and two bulky phosphine donors, results in facile reductive
elimination with certain organometallic reagents that can attain the
η3-bonding mode. Thus, the reaction of diphenylmethyllithium
with 1 produces the Ni(0) derivative [κ2-BnPP(η2-CHPh2)]Ni (4), which forms as a single diastereomer and displays an η2-phenyl moiety. Similarly, reaction of benzylpotassium with 1 results in the analogous nickel(0) complex [κ2-BnPP(η2-CH2Ph)]Ni,
albeit less cleanly. Reaction of 1 with allylmagnesium
chloride also results in reductive elimination to generate the Ni(0)
species [κ2-BnPP(η2-CH2CHCH2)]Ni. In contrast, reaction with trimethylsilylmethyllithium
generates the stable Ni(II) derivative, [κ3-BnPPC]Ni(CH2SiMe3), which can only be
induced to undergo clean reductive elimination by heating to 80°C
in the presence of ethylene. Similarly, the bulky 2,6-di-iso-propyl-phenylamidolithium reacts with 1 to give the
stable Ni(II) species [κ3-BnPPC]Ni(NH-2,6-iso-Pr2C6H3), which upon
thermolysis in the presence of ethylene results in a mixture of products.
It is proposed that facile reductive elimination occurs only for those
hydrocarbyl groups that can attain a transient η3-bonding mode that accelerates this process due to the formation
of an 18-electron intermediate.