Reinvestigation of (o-benzoquinonedioximate)2Ni/I2 systems demonstrated
that the reaction itself and also the crystallization conditions dramatically
affect the identity of generated species. Crystallization (CHCl3, 20–25 °C) of the nickel(II) dioximate complex
[Ni(bqoxH)2] (bqoxH2 = o-benzoquinonedioxime)
with I2 in the 1:(1–10) molar ratios of the reactants
led to several (o-benzoquinonedioximate)2Ni derivatives and/or iodine adducts [Ni(I)(bqoxH)(bqoxH2)]·3/2I2, [Ni(I3)(bqoxH)(bqoxH2)]·[Ni(bqoxH)2], and [Ni(I3)(bqox•–)(bqoxH2)]·I2; the latter one, featuring the anion-radical bqox•– ligand, is derived from the formal (−2H+/1e
–)-oxidation of bqoxH2. In
these three adducts, various types of noncovalent interactions were
identified experimentally and their existence was supported theoretically.
The [Ni(I3)(bqox•–)(bqoxH2)]·I2 adduct exhibits simultaneous semicoordination
and coordination patterns of the triiodide ligand; this is the first
recognition of the semicoordination of any polyiodide ligand to a
metal center. The semicoordination noncovalent contact Ni···I3 (3.7011(10) Å) is substantially longer that the Ni–I3 coordination bond (2.8476(9) Å), and the difference
in energies between these two types of linkages is 8–12 kcal/mol.