Reversible oxidative addition and reductive elimination of diaryl sulphide involving C–S bond cleavage and formation: exchange of two aryl groups in aryl(arylthiolato)nickel complexes having tertiary phosphine ligands

Exchange between Ar and Ar′ groups in trans-Ni(Ar)(SAr′)(PEt3)2 and cis-Ni(Ar)(SAr′)(dmpe)[dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane] takes place to give a mixture of Ni(SAr)(Ar′)L2 and Ni(Ar)(SAr′)L2via reversible reductive elimination and oxidative addition of diaryl sulphides involving C–S bond cleavage and formation at the Ni centre.