Preparation and Reactivity of a Nickel Dihydride Complex

Hydrogen-bonded nickel(I) complexes

A series of nickel(ii) tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) complexes featuring appended hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) to halides (F, Cl, Br) was synthesized and charcterized. Reduction to the nickel(i) state provided access to an unusual nickel(i) fluoride complex stabilized by H-bonds, enabling structural and spectroscopic characterization.

Deuteration mechanistic studies of hydrogenase mimics

The role of deuterium in disentangling key steps of the mechanisms of H₂ activation by mimics of hydrogenases is presented. These studies have allowed to a better understanding of the mode of action of the natural enzymes and their mimics.

Reactant or reagent? Oxidation of H2 at electronically distinct nickel-thiolate sites [Ni2(μ-SR)2]+ and [Ni–SR]+

The chemical bond between a Lewis-acidic metal and a Brønsted/Lewis-basic sulphur donor provides M–S structures with functional properties that are relevant for a variety of processes such as the heterolytic cleavage of H₂.

Inorganic clusters with a [Fe2MoOS3] core—a functional model for acetylene reduction by nitrogenases

We report the first example of a wholly inorganic mimic of a part of the FeMoco active centre of nitrogenases.

An "intermediate spin" nickel hydride complex stemming from delocalized Ni2(μ-H)2 bonding

The nickel hydride complex [Cp'Ni(μ-H)]2 (1, Cp' = 1,2,3,4-tetraisopropylcyclopentadienyl) is found to have a strikingly short Ni-Ni distance of 2.28638(3) Å. Variable temperature and field magnetic measurements indicate an unexpected triplet ground state for 1 with a large zero-field splitting of +90 K (63 cm(-1)). Electronic structure calculations (DFT and CASSCF/CASPT2) explain this ground state as arising from half occupation of two nearly degenerate Ni-Ni π* orbitals.