Novel nickel(II) complex bearing phthalimido ligands derived from oxime-mediated transformation of phthalonitrile

The new heteroligand phthalimido-ethylenediamine nickel(II) complex [Ni{trans-(pti)2}(en)2] (2) has been prepared via the oxime-mediated transformation of phthalonitrile to the phthalimido (or phthalimidato) (pti) moiety in the presence of Ni(NO3)2 · 6H2O, 2-propanone oxime and ethylenediamine (en). Compound 2 has been characterized by IR, FAB+-MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy, elemental and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, showing a slightly distorted octahedral geometry around the centrosymmetric Ni centre with trans phthalimido ligands and ethylenediamine moieties in the equatorial sites.