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Abstract Herein, we report for the first time the use of the nitrogen‐based bidentate molecule [2.2]pyridinophane (N2) as a ligand for metal complexes. Additionally, its improved synthesis allows for electronic modification of the pyridine rings to access the newpara‐dimethylamino‐[2.2]pyridinophane ligand (p‐NMe₂N2). These ligands bind nickel in an analogous fashion to other pyridinophane ligands, completing the series of tetra‐, tri‐, and bidentate pyridinophane‐nickel complexes. The new compounds exhibit geometrically enforced C−H anagostic interactions between the ethylene bridge protons and the nickel center that are not present in other pyridinophane systems. These ethylene bridge groups also act as an unusual form of steric encumbrance, enforcing square planar geometries in ligand fields that would otherwise adopt tetrahedral structures. In addition, these anagostic interactions inhibit the catalytic performance in Csp³–Csp³Kumada cross coupling reactions relative to other common bidentate N‐ligand platforms, possibly by preventing the formation of the 5‐coordinate oxidative addition intermediates. 

Abstract Herein, we report four new chiral 1,4,7‐triazacyclononane (TACN) derivatives and their corresponding nickel(II) chloride complexes. All TACN ligands are bearing one chiral N‐substituent and two alkyl (methyl ortert‐butyl) N‐substituents, and we have developed a new synthetic method for the dimethyl‐substituted TACN derivative, in order to prevent the rotational isomers that hinder the cyclization reaction. The nickel complexes change their coordination geometry significantly depending on the steric bulk of the N‐alkyl substituents, from a dinuclear tris(μ‐chloro)dinickel complex to mononuclear Ni‐dichloride and Ni‐chloride complexes. These complexes were then employed in the alkyl‐alkyl Kumada cross‐coupling reaction and revealed that the more sterically hindered ligands produced more homocoupled product rather than the cross‐coupled product, while the mononuclear Ni‐dichloride complex exhibited significantly lower catalytic activity. These chiral complexes were also employed in enantioconvergent cross‐coupling reactions as well, to afford significant enantioenrichment. Overall, the least sterically hindered Ni complex yields the best yields in the alkyl‐alkyl Kumada cross‐coupling reaction among the four complexes investigated, as well as the highest enantioselectivity. 

Abstract Significant progress has been made in the bioinorganic modeling of the paramagnetic states believed to be involved in the hydrogen redox chemistry catalyzed by [NiFe] hydrogenase. However, the characterization and isolation of intermediates involved in mononuclear Ni electrocatalysts which are reported to operate through a Ni^I/IIIcycle have largely remained elusive. Herein, we report a Ni^IIcomplex (NCHS2)Ni(OTf)2, where NCHS2 is 3,7-dithia-1(2,6)-pyridina-5(1,3)-benzenacyclooctaphane, that is an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with turnover frequencies of ~3,000 s⁻¹and a overpotential of 670 mV in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid. This electrocatalyst follows a hitherto unobserved HER mechanism involving C-H activation, which manifests as an inverse kinetic isotope effect for the overall hydrogen evolution reaction, and Ni^I/Ni^IIIintermediates, which have been characterized by EPR spectroscopy. We further validate the possibility of the involvement of Ni^IIIintermediates by the independent synthesis and characterization of organometallic Ni^IIIcomplexes. 

Nickel K- and L 2,3 -edge X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) are discussed for 16 complexes and complex ions with nickel centers spanning a range of formal oxidation states from II to IV. K-edge XAS alone is shown to be an ambiguous metric of physical oxidation state for these Ni complexes. Meanwhile, L 2,3 -edge XAS reveals that the physical d-counts of the formally Ni IV compounds measured lie well above the d 6 count implied by the oxidation state formalism. The generality of this phenomenon is explored computationally by scrutinizing 8 additional complexes. The extreme case of NiF 6 2− is considered using high-level molecular orbital approaches as well as advanced valence bond methods. The emergent electronic structure picture reveals that even highly electronegative F-donors are incapable of supporting a physical d 6 Ni IV center. The reactivity of Ni IV complexes is then discussed, highlighting the dominant role of the ligands in this chemistry over that of the metal centers.