ELECTROCHEMICAL GENERATION OF A NICKEL-CARBONYL COMPLEX, CATALYST FORTHE ELECTROREDUCTIVE COUPLING OF ORGANIC HALIDES AND CARBON-MONOXIDE INTO KETONES

The nickel-carbonyl complex Ni(CO)bpy is involved in the nickel-cataly sed electroreductive coupling of organic halides and carbon monoxide i nto ketones. The active species is obtained from a stoichiometric mixt ure of Ni-0, 2,2'-bipyridine and CO. The electrochemical method used t o generate this complex allows a good tuning of Ni-0 production versus CO dissolution. We have shown that Ni(CO)bpy results from a CO equili brium exchange between Ni(CO)(2)bpy and Nibpy. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce S.A. All rights reserved.