Heterobimetallic nickelates derived from Ni(0)-olefin complexes and polar organometallics were widely studied during the spawn of low-valent organonickel chemistry but remained dormant in the literature for several decades.¹ We have recently demonstrated that nickelates are key intermediates in the Ni-catalysed cross-coupling of aryl ethers, prompting a renewed experimental and theoretical interest into these unique heterobimetallic complexes.²

In this talk, the synthesis and structures of homoleptic s-block metal nickelates which can be readily accessed from Ni(0) olefin complexes and a variety of s-block metal organometametallics will be discussed.³ Structural and Mechanistic insights and applications of these nickelates in catalytic cross-coupling reactions and C-C bond cleavage will also be discussed.^4,5

[1] Jonas, C. Krüger. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 1980, 19, 520
[2] (a) A. M. Borys, E. Hevia. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 24659. (b) H. Liang, A. Borys, E. Hevia, M. E. Perrin, P. A. Payard, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 19989.
[3] (a) A. M. Borys, L. A. Malaspina, S. Grabowsky, E. Hevia. Chem. Int. Ed., 2022, 61, e202209797. (b) A. M. Borys, L. Vedani, E. Hevia, Dalton Trans., 2024, 53, 8382. (c) L. Vedani, A. M. Borys, E. Hevia, Inorg. Chem. 2025, 64, 8354.
[4] M. Borys, L. Vedani, E. Hevia. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 10199.
[5] M. Borys, A. E. F. Denjean, L. Vedani, D. Balcells, E. Hevia. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2025, 64, e202501995.