Synthesis, structure, electrochemistry and reactivity of the bis(mu-sigma-stannanediyl)dinickel butterfly cluster [{{(SiMe3)(2)CH}(2)Sn-Ni(eta(5)-Cp)}(2)](Ni-2-Sn-2)

Addition of stannylene [{(SiMe3)2CH}2Sn:] (2) to the unbridged homobimetallic Ni–Ni bond of [{PEt3Ni(η5-Cp)}2] (1) gives the heterobimetallic, tetranuclear compound [{{(SiMe3)2CH}2Sn–Ni(η5-Cp)}2] (3) with a butterfly arrangement and leaves the Ni–Ni bond of 1 intact. Elimination of both PEt3 ligands from the starting material 1 is observed, probably due to steric restraints. Compound 3 is formally related to the hypothetical closo-borane B4H42–. The Ni–Ni bond in 3 is only slightly elongated [2.454(3) Å] when compared to the starting material 1 [2.41(1) Å]. Compound 3 displays a butterfly arrangement with a hinge angle of 62.5°. An alternative route to 3 is by a direct reaction between nickelocene (5) and Lappert's stannylene [{(SiMe3)2CH}2Sn:] in 63% yield. Treating 3 with water results in the cleavage of an Ni–Sn bond and subsequent opening of the cluster cage of 3 to form the trinuclear compound [(η5-Cp)Ni{Sn(CH(SiMe3)2}2OH] (6) having an Sn–OH–Sn bridge. The hydroxy proton in 6 can be exchanged by deuterium within a few minutes, as determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, giving the monodeuterio product, [D1]-6. Compound 6 is reactive towards acetonitrile, leading to cleavage of one Ni–Sn bond, elimination of one [{(SiMe3)2CH}2Sn:] unit, and formation of the organotin hydroxo complex [{(SiMe3)2CH}2(OH)Sn–Ni(η5-Cp)(CH3CN)] (7). In this complex, acetonitrile is coordinated to Ni via its σ lone pair, bearing the OH ligand in a terminal bonding mode to tin.