Bis(allyl)nickel explained

Bis(allyl)nickel is an organonickel compound with the formula Ni(η³-C₃H₅)₂. The molecule consists of two allyl ligands bound to nickel(II). It has inversion symmetry.^[1] It is a volatile yellow liquid at room temperature.

Preparation and reactions

It can be prepared by the reaction of allyl magnesium bromide with anhydrous nickel chloride.^[2] It was first prepared similarly by Gunther Wilke et al. The same group reported that the complex react with carbon monoxide to give nickel tetracarbonyl and 1,5-hexadiene. It catalyzes the trimerization of butadiene.^[3] With tertiary phosphines, the complex gives the tetrakis derivative. Such reactions to proceed via the intermediacy of the 18-electron adduct.^[4]

Notes and References

1. 10.1021/om00121a014. Effect upon the Hydrogen Atoms of Bonding an Allyl Group to a Transition Metal. A Theoretical Investigation and an Experimental Determination using Neutron Diffraction of the Structure of Bis(η³-allyl)nickel . 1985 . Goddard . R. . Krueger . C. . Mark . F. . Stansfield . R. . Zhang . X. . Organometallics . 4 . 2 . 285–290 .
2. Book: 10.1002/9780470132449.ch14. Isoleptic Allyl Derivatives of Various Metals . Inorganic Syntheses . 1972 . O'Brien . S. . Fishwick . M. . McDermott . B. . Wallbridge . M. G. H. . Wright . G. A. . Inorganic Syntheses . 13. 73–79. 9780470132449 .
3. 10.1002/ange.19610732306. Bis-π-allyl-nickel . 1961 . Wilke . G. . Bogdanovič . B. . Angewandte Chemie . 73 . 23 . 756 . 1961AngCh..73..756W .
4. 10.1016/S0022-328X(00)81073-6. Transition metal allyls . 1980 . Henc . B. . Jolly . P.W. . Salz . R. . Stobbe . S. . Wilke . G. . Benn . R. . Mynott . R. . Seevogel . K. . Goddard . R. . Krüger . C. . Journal of Organometallic Chemistry . 191 . 2 . 449–475 .