Boryl-assisted hydrogenolysis of a nickel-methyl bond

A stable nickel(II) methyl complex containing a diphosphino-boryl (PBP) pincer ligand is described. Mechanistic studies on the hydrogenolysis of the Ni-Me bond suggest a metal ligand cooperation mechanism that involves the intermediacy of a sigma-B-H Ni(0) species that further undergoes B-H oxidative addition to form a Ni(II) hydride complex.