Structural variations of nickel complexes in NiS₄ and NiS₂PN coordination environments: spectral and single-crystal X-ray structural studies on bis(4-methylpiperidinecarbodithioato-S,S′)nickel(II) and (4-methylpiperidinecarbodithioato-S,S′)(thiocyanato-N)(triphenylphosphine)nickel(II)

Abstract

[Ni(4-mpipdtc)₂] and [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)] (4-mpipdtc = 4-methylpiperidinecarbodithioate anion) have been characterized by electronic, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray analysis, and cyclic voltammetry. IR spectra of the complexes show the contribution of the thioureide form to the structures. ¹H NMR spectra show the deshielding of α-CH₂ protons on complexation. ¹³C NMR spectra shows interesting differences between the N¹³CS₂ carbon signals of the parent complex [Ni(4-mpipdtc)₂] and the mixed ligand complex [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)]. The N¹³CS₂ carbon signal for [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)] is observed at 204.85 ppm with an upfield shift of about 3.8 ppm compared with that found in [Ni(4-mpipdtc)₂] (201.06 ppm). The observed shielding in [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)] indicates the effect of PPh₃ on the mesomeric drift of electron density toward nickel through the thioureide C–N bond. Single crystal X-ray analysis of [Ni(4-mpipdtc)₂] and [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)] confirms the presence of four-coordinated nickel in a distorted square-planar arrangement with the NiS₄ and NiS₂PN chromophores, respectively. The C–N (thioureide) bond lengths of [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)] are shorter than those found in [Ni(4-mpipdtc)₂], because of the presence of the π-acid (triphenylphosphine) in [Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)]. Significant asymmetry in Ni–S bond distances was observed in Ni(4-mpipdtc)(PPh₃)(NCS)] (2.162(2) and 2.211(2) Å). This observation clearly supports the less effective trans effect of SCN^– over PPh₃. The piperidine ring in the dithiocarbamate fragment is in the normal chair conformation.

Graphical Abstract