Nickel carbonate cage synthesis through degradation of [Ni-3(Trensal)(2)]

The synthesis of [Ni3(Trensal)2] was investigated in an attempt to analyze its degradation product, Ni6 carbonate cages. Through this investigation, two forms of the [Ni3(Trensal)2] compound were isolated and structurally analyzed for the first time as well as other degraded forms of the parent compound. The synthesis of these carbonate cages was not accomplished through the degradation of [Ni3(Trensal)2], but instead through a more direct synthesis simply using a
nickel halide and TMEDA. Further samples of these cages were obtained using bis(cyclooctadiene) nickel(0) and TMEDA.