An “Intermediate
Spin” Nickel Hydride
Complex Stemming from Delocalized Ni<sub>2</sub>(μ-H)<sub>2</sub> Bonding
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Abstract
The nickel hydride
complex [Cp′Ni(μ-H)]<sub>2</sub> (<b>1</b>, Cp′
= 1,2,3,4-tetraisopropylcyclopentadienyl)
is found to have a strikingly short Ni–Ni distance of 2.28638(3)
Å. Variable temperature and field magnetic measurements indicate
an unexpected triplet ground state for <b>1</b> with a large
zero-field splitting of +90 K (63 cm<sup>–1</sup>). Electronic
structure calculations (DFT and CASSCF/CASPT2) explain this ground
state as arising from half occupation of two nearly degenerate Ni–Ni
π* orbitals