Electrochemistry of nickel(II) complexes with N,N′-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)polymethylenediamines

Several N,N′-polymethylenebis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldiminato)nickel(II) complexes, Ni(Lx) (x = 1-4), have been studied by cyclic voltammetry and in situ UV-Vis spectroscopy in DMF. The first oxidation peak potentials of all the Ni(II) complexes corresponds to the reversible one-electron oxidation process of the metal center, yielding Ni(III) species. The second oxidation peak of the complexes was assigned as the ligand based oxidation, generating a coordinated phenoxy radical species.