Formation of the paramagletic Ni(I) π-allyl complex in the Ni(allyl)2 – (2,6-diisopropylphenyl)diazabutadiene system

It has been shown that the reaction of Ni(allyl)2 with (2,6-diisopropylphenyl)diazabutadiene gives the imino-amide Ni complex (1). The imino-amide moiety of this complex undergoes some complicated rearrangements resulting in spontaneous formation of a paramagnetic π-allyl Ni(I) complex. Nickel complexes formed in the system have been studied with ESR, FTIR, 2D NMR, and mass spectrometry. The structure of complex 1 was studied with X-ray diffraction.