Reduction of 1,2-dibromocyc
lohexene with 1% sodium amalgam in thepresence of Ni(
2-C
2H
4)L
2 gives cyc
lohexynenickel(0) complexesNi(
2-C
6H
8)L
2[L
2 = 2PPh
3 (
1), dcpe(
2), 2PEt
3(
3); dcpe = 1,2-bis(dicyc
lohexylphosphino)ethane,Cy
2PCH
2CH
2PCy
2],which are structurallysimilar to, but less stable than, the corresponding platinum(0)compounds. The crystalstructure of
2 has been determined. The moleculecontains a nickel atom bound to
2-cyc
lohexyne [Ni-C(1) = 1.875(4) Å,Ni-C(2) = 1.867(4) Å] and to dcpe [Ni-P(1) =2.139(1) Å, Ni-P(2) = 2.138(1) Å]. The geometry is close totrigonal planar if the midpoint of thecoordinated triple bond is regarded as occupying one coordination site,and the C=C distance[1.272(5) Å] is slightly less than that inPt(
2-C
6H
8)(PPh
3)
2[1.297(8) Å]. Complex
2 reactswith methyl iodide and with CO
2 to give insertion productscontaining nickel(II), NiI(2-MeC
6H
8)(dcpe) (
7) andNi{C
6H
8C(O)O}(dcpe)(
9),respectively. Dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate inserts into the Ni-C
![](/images/gifchars/sigma.gif)
-bond of
9 to give aseven-membered nickelacycleNi{C(CO
2Me)=C(CO
2Me)C
6H
8C(O)O}(dcpe)(
10).