Metal-to-ligand charge transfer bands observed in polarized Ni 2p photoabsorption spectra of [Ni(mnt)(2)](2-)

Linearly polarized Ni 2p photoabsorption spectra were measured for a planar Ni complex [(n-C4H9)(4)N](2)[Ni(mnt)(2)] (mnt: 1,2-dicyanovinylene-1,2-dit hiolato). Symmetries of the Ni 2p excited states are determined by examinin g the polarization dependence. Two satellite bands are found on the higher energy side of the lowest Ni 2p-->3d* atomic line and are assigned to the m etal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions with different polarizati on dependence, in good agreement with ab initio molecular orbital predictio ns. In [Ni(mnt)(2)](2-) ion the in-plane backbonding is as important as the out-of-plane one. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.