Selective P4 activation by an organometallic nickel(i) radical: formation of a dinuclear nickel(ii) tetraphosphide and related di- and trichalcogenides

Abstract

The reaction of the 17e nickel(i) radical [CpNi(IDipp)] (1, IDipp = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) with P4 results in a nickel tetraphosphide [(CpNi(IDipp))2(μ-η1:η1-P4)] with a butterfly-P42− ligand; related chalcogenides [(CpNi(IDipp))2(μ-E2)] (E = S, Se, Te) and [(CpNi(IDipp))2(μ-E3)] (E = S, Se) are formed with S8, Se∞ and Te∞. © The Partner Organisations 2014.