Nickel atom – ligand reactions: evidence for an unstable η3-benzylnickel species from mixed-ligand cocondensations with nickel atoms

Detailed studies of nickel atom – benzyl halide cocondensation reactions, with and without a second organic ligand, have been carried out. Benzyl halides (X = Cl, Br) when cocondensed with nickel atoms at −196 °C give no isolable organonickel product but only bibenzyl and nickel(II) halide, indicative of an initial unstable benzylnickel compound. Allyl chloride/benzyl chloride mixtures do not give the stable η3-allylnickel chloride, but instead a highly-unstable sublimable yellow solid which apparently is the η3-benzylnickel chloride dimer. All of this work indicates complexities in the initial metal atom interactions with the ligands. A further case is reported in which the presence of aluminosilicate insulating wool drastically changes the products obtained.