The zwitterionic
N,N'-dialkyl-2-amino-5-alcoholate-1,4-benzoquinonemonoiminium derivatives[C
6H
2(
![](/images/entities/bondDot.gif)
NHCH
2CH
2X)
2(
![](/images/entities/bondDot.gif)
O)
2] (X = NMe
2,
9; X = NHEt,
10; X = OMe,
11), previously preparedfrom 4,6-diaminoresorcinol by a transamination reaction, and
12 (X = N(CH
2CH
2)
2O) behave as tridentate ligands when reacted with [Ni(acac)
2] to form the corresponding octahedral Ni(II) 2:1 complexes
[Ni{C6H2(=NCH2CH2X)O(=O)(NHCH2CH2X)}2] (
13-
16), respectively. In contrast, ligand
9 reacted
![](/images/entities/verbar.gif)
with NiCl
2·6H
2O in a tandemlike manner to afford the stabilized Ni(II) zwitterionic organometalate 1:1complex
[NiCl2{C6H2(=NCH2CH2NMe2)O(=O)(NHCH2CH2NHMe2)}] (
17). The bonding parameters
![](/images/entities/verbar.gif)
of complexes
13·H
2O·CH
2Cl
2 and
17, determined by X-ray diffraction, and the conformation of theligands around the nickel center as well as the supramolecular arrangements are discussed and comparedwith those of their previously reported Zn(II) analogues. Complexes
13-
17 were tested in catalytic ethyleneoligomerization with MAO and AlEtCl
2 as cocatalysts. Complex
17 yielded the highest turnoverfrequencies, with values up to 20 300 and 48 200 mol of C
2H
4/((mol of Ni) h), in the presence of 400equiv of MAO and 10 equiv of AlEtCl
2, respectively. Selectivities for ethylene dimers were slightlyhigher when using MAO: 94% (
14 in the presence of 100 equiv of MAO) and 90% (
14 in the presenceof 6 equiv of AlEtCl
2). The selectivities for 1-butene within the C
4 fraction were much higher whenusing MAO as cocatalyst, with values up to 68% (
15 in the presence of 100 equiv of MAO). The factthat
17, which contains only one tridentate ligand per nickel center, leads to higher activities than
13-
16underlines the importance of the metal center accessibility in the catalytic process.