Importance of co-donor field strength in the preparation of tetradentate α-diimine nickel hydrosilylation catalysts

Abstract

Although bis(α-diimine)Ni complexes were prepared when amine-substituted chelates were added to Ni(COD)₂, the incorporation of strong-field phosphine donors allowed the isolation of (κ⁴-N,N,P,P-DI)Ni hydrosilylation catalysts. The crystallographic investigation of two different (κ⁴-N,N,P,P-DI)Ni compounds revealed that the geometry about nickel influences the observed degree of α-diimine reduction.