Facile P−C/C−H Bond-Cleavage Reactivity of Nickel Bis(diphosphine) Complexes

Unusual cleavage of P−C and C−H bonds of the P₂N₂ ligand, in heteroleptic [Ni(P₂N₂)(diphosphine)]²⁺ complexes under mild conditions, results in the formation of an iminium formyl nickelate featuring a C,P,P-tridentate coordination mode. The structures of both the heteroleptic [Ni(P₂N₂)(diphosphine)]²⁺ complexes and the resulting iminium formyl nickelate have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to investigate the mechanism of the P−C/C−H bond cleavage, which involves C−H bond cleavage, hydride rotation, Ni−C/P−H bond formation, and P−C bond cleavage.