New η6-arene complexes of nickel(II): polyarene and fused arene systems

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(89)88101-X

Two reactions schemes have been employed to prepare a series of polyarene and fused arene-Ni(SiCl3)2 complexes.The first method was based on arene<*>arene' exchange equilibria, and the second employed the production of the Ni(SiCl3)2 moiety in the presence of the desired arene by the reaction of (allyl)2Ni derivatives with HSiCl3.Arenes employed were biphenyl, 4,4'-dimethylbiphenyl, diphenylmethane, 1,2-diphenylethane, 4,4'-paracyclophane, naphthalene, and anthracene.Equilibria studies showed that the tendency to bind with the Ni(SiCl3)2 moiety was in the order 4,4'-paracyclophane>>toluene>diphenylmethane>1,2-diphenylethane>-biphenyl>naphthalene ca. anthracene>halobenzenes.Repeated attempts to bind two arene groups in the same molecule with two Ni(SiCl3)2 groups failed, as did attempts to prepare (Cl3Si)2Ni-arene-Ni(SiCl3)2 species.