Synthesis of 2-(N-arylimino-κN-methyl)pyrrolide-κN complexes of nickel

2-(N-aryliminomethyl)pyrrole precursors (2,6-R2-C6H3-Ndouble bond; length as m-dashCH-2-C4H3NH) (R = Me, IH; R = iPr, IIH) were prepared and transformed into their corresponding sodium salts (Na+I− and Na+II−) by treatment with NaH. Both salts readily react with [NiBr2(DME)] (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) to give the respective bis{2-(N-arylimino-κN-methyl)pyrrolide-κN}nickel(II) complexes (1, 2) in almost quantitative yields. The oxidative addition of IH to [Ni(COD)2] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) results in the formation of 3, which is a mono(iminomethylpyrrolide)-η3-(cyclic-allyl)-type organonickel(II) complex. The crystal structure of compound 1 has been established by X-ray diffraction studies.