title: Reversible H2 addition across a nickel-borane unit as a promising strategy for catalysis.
abstract: We report the synthesis and characterization of a series of nickel complexes of the chelating diphosphine-borane ligands ArB(o-Ph(2)PC(6)H(4))(2) ([(Ar)DPB(Ph)]; Ar = Ph, Mes). The [(Ar)DPB(Ph)] framework supports pseudo-tetrahedral nickel complexes featuring η(2)-B,C coordination from the ligand backbone. For the B-phenyl derivative, the THF adduct [(Ph)DPB(Ph)]Ni(THF) has been characterized by X-ray diffraction and features a very short interaction between nickel and the η(2)-B,C ligand. For the B-mesityl derivative, the reduced nickel complex [(Mes)DPB(Ph)]Ni is isolated as a pseudo-three-coordinate "naked" species that undergoes reversible, nearly thermoneutral oxidative addition of dihydrogen to give a borohydrido-hydride complex of nickel(II) which has been characterized in solution by multinuclear NMR. Furthermore, [(Mes)DPB(Ph)]Ni is an efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation of olefin substrates under mild conditions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States.
authors.forename: W Hill
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Harman
authors.forename: Jonas C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Peters