Protonation mechanisms of Nickel Complexes Relevant to Industrial and Biological Catalysis

The sites of protonation and the subsequent rearrangement reactions of simple nickel complexes containing hydride, thiolate and alkyl ligands are reviewed, and the relevance of these reactions to the action of certain nickelbased catalysts are discussed.

Summary

Protonation at the metal and ligand is central to the understanding of how both enzymes and industrial catalysts operate at the molecular level. The recurring theme in studies on the protonation of all metal complexes is that the ultimate residence of the proton is not necessarily the initial binding site, and the movement of proton between sites can occur by a variety of mechanisms. These features are also evident in the reactions of simple nickel complexes and mechanistic studies are revealing the subtle interplay between ligand and metal which are the basis of the kinetic and thermodynamic control of protonation reactions at these sites.