Bimetallic Nickel Complexes Supported by a Planar Macrocyclic Diphosphoranide Ligand.

Metal-metal cooperativity is emerging as an important strategy in catalysis. This requires appropriate ligand scaffolds that can support two metals in close proximity. Here we report nickel-promoted formation of a dinucleating planar macrocyclic ligand that can support bimetallic dinickel(II) and dinickel(I) complexes. Reaction outcomes can be tuned by variation of the substituents and reaction conditions to favour dinucleating macrocyclic, mononucleating macrocyclic or conventional pincer architectures.