PHOSPHOLYL COMPOUNDS OF NICKEL AND URANIUM

The phospholyl nickel compound [{Ni(eta(5)-C(4)Me(4)P)(mu-eta(1)-C(4)M e(4)P)}(2)] 1 was prepared by treating NiCl2 with two equivalents of K C(4)Me(4)P in pyridine, whereas reaction of NiCl2 with two equivalents of [U(eta(5)-C(4)Me(4)P)(3)Cl] or an excess of [U(eta(5)-C(4)Me(4)P)( 2)Cl-2] afforded the trinuclear complex [Ni{(mu-eta(5),eta(1)-C(4)Me(4 )P)(2)UCl2}(2)] 2. Reduction of a 1:2 mixture of 1 and [U(eta(5)-C(4)M e(4)P)(2)Cl-2] by sodium amalgam in tetrahydrofuran gave the tetranucl ear compound (4)P)(2)}{(mu-eta(5),eta(1)-C(4)Me(4)P)(2)UCl2}(2) . 3C(4 )H(8)O] 3. The crystal structures of 1, 2 and 3 have been determined.