Silylenenickel(0) or Silyl(silylene)platinum(II) Complexes by Reaction of Si[(NCH2But)2C6H4-1,2] with [NiCl2(PPh3)2], [Ni(cod)2], or [PtCl2(PPh3)2]

The stable silylene Si[(NCH 2 Bu t ) 2 C 6 H 4 -1,2] [abbreviated as ( 1 ) (4 equiv) with 1 equiv each of [NiCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ], [Ni(cod) 2 ], or [PtCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ] in benzene affords the crystalline diamagnetic complex ( 2 ), ( 3 ), or ( 4 ), while from 1 (5 equiv) and [NiCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ] the product was 3 . The diversity of behavior of 1, functioning as (i) a neutral ligand, (ii) a reducing agent, and/or (iii) a source of the anionic ligand is noteworthy.