Abstract
A combined experimental/theoretical study of Ni pincer complexes with a bridgehead pyrimidine-based NHC and arylphosphino side arms revealed unique features about stepwise C–H activation, ethylene insertion into the Ni–H bond of an isolated complex followed by ethyl migration with C–CNHC coupling, and an unprecedented C–P bond activation affording via PPh2 migration a NiII complex with a terminal phosphanido ligand and a novel C–CNHC–P pincer ligand.
