In order to elucidate specific properties of nickel sulfur complexes, redox and addition-elimination reactions of [Ni(′OS4')]2, [Ni(′NHS4')]2, [Ni(′S5')], [Ni('S4—C5')], and [Ni('S4—C3')] were investigated ('OS4′ 2' = 2,2'-bis(2-mercaptophenylthio)diethylether(2—), 'NHS4'2- = 2,2'-bis(2-mercaptophenylthio)diethylamine(2—), 'S5'2- = 2,2'-bis(2-mercaptophenylthio)diethylsulfide(2—), 'S4-C5'2- = 1,5-bis(2-mercaptophenylthio)pentane(2—), 'S4—C3'2- = 1,3-bis(2-mercaptophenylthio)propane(2—)).Cyclovoltammetry proves the complexes to be redox inactive between —1.4 and +0.8 V vs. NHE. Above +0.8 V the complexes are irreversibly oxidized, below —1,4 V desalkylation takes place and [Ni(′S,′)2]2- is formed. An X-ray structure analysis was carried out of (NMe4)2[Ni(′S2')2], which shows a planar anion with the Ni center in a nearly perfect square planar coordination. Distances and angles are practically identical to those in the [Ni(′S2')2-] monoanion.The complexes coordinate only phosphines as coligands, but thioether donors simultaneously decoordinate and, dependant of reaction temperature, mono- or trisphosphine complexes are formed. [Ni(′S4—C3')(PMe3)] was characterized by X-ray structure analysis and exhibits a square pyramidal coordination geometry.
