Enhancing the Stability of Aromatic PCN Pincer Nickel Complexes by Incorporation of Pyridine as the Nitrogen Side Arm

New PCN^Py pincer nickel complexes have been synthesized through a short synthetic route. Incorporating pyridine as the nitrogen side arm facilitated the C–H activation in the PCN ligand and allowed the cyclometallation with nickel to take place at room temperature. Pyridine also enhanced the stability of β-hydrogen-containing alkyl complexes. Also, the symmetric NCN nickel complex with pyridine side arms was successfully obtained giving a rare example of such type of complexes to be prepared through direct C–H activation. Furthermore, preliminary results showed that the (PCN^Py)Ni–Br is active in Kumada coupling reactions particularly the coupling of aryl halides with aryl Grignard reagents.