Facile Ni(II)/ketoxime-mediated conversion of organonitriles into imidoylamidine ligands. Synthesis of imidoylamidines and acetyl amides.

Treatment of alkyl nitriles with NiX(2).6H(2)O (X = Cl, NO(3)) and 2-propanone oxime, followed by (X = Cl) addition of [i-Pr(4)N](NO(3)) for precipitation of the product, resulted in the formation of amidinium nitrates [RC([double bond]NH(2))NH(2)](NO(3)) (R = Me, Et, n-Pr). The reaction went to another direction with NiX(2).2H(2)O, i.e., the reaction between neat RCN (R = Me, Et, n-Pr, i-Pr, n-Bu, CH(2)Cl, CH(2)C(6)H(4)OMe-p) and NiCl(2).2H(2)O/2-propanone oxime (other ketoximes can also be used) gave the (imidoylamidine)Ni(II) complexes [Ni[N(H)[double bond]C(R)NHC(R)[double bond]NH](2)](2+) (1(2+)-7(2+)). The latter were isolated in good yields (65-91%) as the bis-chloride salts 1.Cl(2)-6.Cl(2) and the mixed salt 7.(Cl)(p-MeOC(6)H(4)CH(2)CO(2)). Remarkably, the latter transformation does not proceed at all if NiCl(2).2H(2)O or the ketoxime are taken alone. Liberation of imidoylamidines was performed for one alkyl-containing complex [2.Cl(2)] and one benzyl-containing complex [7.(Cl)(p-MeOC(6)H(4)CH(2)CO(2))], by (i) addition of HBF(4).Et(2)O to the acetonitrile solution of the complexes to yield [N(H)[double bond]C(R)NHC(R)[double bond]NH].2HBF(4) (R = Et 8 and R = CH(2)C(6)H(4)OMe-p 9) or (ii) substitution for ethanediamine (en) with following precipitation of the complex [Ni(en)(3)]Cl(2) with formation of free N(H)[double bond]C(R)NHC(R)[double bond]NH (R = Et 10 and R = CH(2)C(6)H(4)OMe-p 11). In contrast to the liberation in nonaqueous media, treatment of 2.Cl(2) and 7.(Cl)(p-MeOC(6)H(4)CH(2)CO(2)) with Na(2)EDTA.2H(2)O in water-methanol solutions led to substitution and hydrolysis to furnish the acyl amides [EtC([double bond]O)](2)NH (12) and [p-MeOC(6)H(4)CH(2)C([double bond]O)](2)NH (13). Alternatively, 12 and 13 were obtained by hydrolysis of 10 and 11 in water at pH ca. 8.5. It was shown that the oxime complexes trans-[NiCl(2)(C(4)H(8)C[double bond]NOH)(4)] (14) or cis-[Ni(O,O-NO(3))(2)(C(4)H(8)C[double bond]NOH)(2)] (15) can be intermediates in the formation of amidines and imidoylamidines. The sequence of the Ni(II)/oxime mediated formation of (imidoylamidine)Ni complexes and liberation (or hydrolytic liberation) of the ligands opens up a novel, facile and environmentally benign route to imidoylamidines and acyl amides.