Molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of a nickel-bridged {Ni(Ph3P)}2(μ2-η(2), η(2)-C60)2 dimer.

A compound containing fullerene dimers bonded through two nickel atoms, {Ni(Ph3P)}2(μ2-η(2),η(2)-C60)2·2C6H4Cl2 (1), has been obtained as single crystals. The fullerenes are neutral in 1 , showing a zero-valent state of Ni. The nickel atoms are bonded in an η(2) coordination mode with Ni-C distances of 2.001(3)-2.037(3) Å and a close approach of the fullerenes with a 9.716 Å center-to-center distance. The DFT calculations showed a diamagnetic singlet ground state for this dimer.