Dicationic nickel complexes have been prepared by chemical and electro
chemical oxidation of metallic nickel, by methathetical exchange of ni
ckel chloride with halide abstracting agents (ZnCl2, Zn, AlCl3, Al) an
d by reaction of nickel acetate with strong Bronsted acids (HBF4, CF3S
O3H). The resulting complexes were characterized by IR, UV-vis, Ruther
ford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), and magnetic moment measuremen
ts as being octahedral, with six nitrile ligands.