Cyclopentadienyl nickel(ii) N,C-chelating benzothiazolyl NHC complexes: synthesis, characterization and application in catalytic C-C bond formation reactionsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: For the NMR spectra of compounds 2a-2c and 3a-3c, the catalytic reaction results, the characterization data and the NMR spectra of the bibenzyl products, the crystallographic data of 3a-3c, and the crystal data. CCDC 1441071 (3b), 1441072 (3c) and 1441073 (3a). For ESI and crystallographi

Cyclopentadienyl (Cp) Ni( ii ) complexes [CpNiL][PF 6 ] containing hybrid N , C chelating benzothiazolyl NHC ligands ( L 1 = 1-(2-benzothiazolyl)-3-methylimidazol-2-ylidene, 3a ; L 2 = 1-(2-benzothiazolyl)-3-allylimidazol-2-ylidene, 3b ; L 3 = 1-(2-benzothiazolyl)-3-benzylimidazol-2-ylidene, 3c ) have been synthesized and fully characterized. The catalytic activity of 3a-3c in some C-C bond formation reactions has been examined. They are efficient catalysts for the homo-coupling of benzyl bromide in the presence of MeMgCl at r.t. with good functional group tolerance. Complex 3a is active in the catalytic oxidative homo-coupling of Grignard reagents with 1,2-dichloroethane as an oxidant at r.t. CpNi( ii ) N , C -chelating benzothiazolyl NHC complexes have been synthesized. They are efficient catalysts for the homo-coupling of benzyl bromide in the presence of MeMgCl at r.t. with good function group tolerance.