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Abstract: The nickel (0) compound Ni(COD)(GaAr′)2 (Ar′ = C6H3–2,6-(C6H3-2,6-i-Pr2)2), 1, was synthesized by the reaction of Ni(COD)2 (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with (GaAr′)2. Compound 1 reacted with ethylene at 25 °C and at 1 atm pressure to give the bimetallic cluster [Ni2(GaAr′)2(η1:η1-μ2-C2H4)], 2, through the incorporation of one molecule of ethylene and displacement of COD. The structure of 2 featured an unusual Ni2Ga2C2 core bicyclic structure in which the C2H4 moiety bridges the Ga···Ga edge of a Ga2Ni2 tetrahedron. The galliums each carry an η1-bonded Ar′ substituent which complexes the nickel atom by an η6–π interaction with one of its flanking Ar’ rings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first goal of this work was to explore the feasibility of diaryl-mercury species as the synthetic precursors of triaryl-gallium species GaAr* 3 (where Ar*= pH, 4; Ar*= 3,5-difluorophenyl, 5; and Ar*= 3,5-trifluoromethylphenyl, 6). Expecting that 4–6 behave as Lewis acids of different strength, the second purpose was to use them for the synthesis of either rollover or classic cyclometallated Ga compounds. Three analogous diaryl-mercury HgAr* 2 species, 1–3, were successfully synthesized. The structures of compounds 2 and 3 were confirmed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry experiments. Additionally, compound 3 was analyzed through X-ray diffraction; in the crystal structure obtained, π-stacking interactions were observed. The only Ga compound synthesized was GaPh 3 , 4, because the presence of fluorine-containing groups in meta-position caused sublimation of the respective mercury diaryl compounds, impeding their reaction with gallium. The attempts toward the synthesis of the rollover or classic cyclometallated compounds in the reaction of 4 with bipyridine-, pyrazole- or benzo-imidazole- type ligands have failed. On the other hand, under the experimental conditions applied, water traces favored formation of the solid aryl-Ga cluster containing twelve Ga atoms [Ga 12 ], whereas the above-mentioned ligands were quantitatively recovered in the solution. The identity of aryl-gallium cluster was confirmed by electrospray ionization - high resolution mass spectrometry. Although Ga cluster was not expected, it is considered an important finding of this work, owing to the variety of possible applications and still limited data available on the synthesis and structural characterization of such compounds. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]