Synthesis and thermal behaviour of cyclopentadienylnickel(II) thiolato Schiff base complexes. Molecular structures of Ni(η5-C5H5)(PBu3)(SC6H4NC(H)C6H4C6H5) and Ni(η5-C5H5)(PBu3)(SC6H4NC(H)C6H4OC4H9)

The new complexes Ni(η5-C5H5)(PR3)(SC6H4NC(H)C6H4OCnH2n+1), Ni(η5-C5H5)(PR3)(SC6H4NC(H)C6H4C6H5) and Ni(η5-C5H5)(PR3)(SC6H4NC(H)C6H4OCH2C6H5), (R=Ph or Bu; n=4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 16 and 20), were synthesised from equimolar amounts of Ni(η5-C5H5)(PR3)Br (R=Ph or Bu) and the appropriate thiol ligand and were characterised by NMR and elemental analysis. In addition 1a and 3a were characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. These new complexes were also examined by thermal analytical methods (DSC and TGA) and polarising hot-stage microscopy, but were not found to exhibit any liquid crystalline behaviour. Thermal analysis showed that the complexes were generally stable up to about 180 °C and decomposed finally to a species with empirical formula NiSC6H5. Two decomposition pathways were established, depending on the phosphine used.