Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and structural studies of nickel complexes of O,O '-diaryl(dibenzyl) dithiophosphates: crystal structures of Ni[S2P(OC(6)H(4)CH(3-)o)(2)](2), Ni[S2P(OC(6)H(4)CH(3-)m)(2)](2) and Ni[S2P(OCH2Ph)(2)](2)

Purple-coloured, tetra-coordinated Ni(II) complexes, Ni[S2P(OR)(2)](2) (R = o-, m-, p-OC6H4Me, Ph and CH2Ph) have been obtained by reaction of NiCl2 with salts of corresponding O,O'-diaryl(dibenzyl) dithiophosphates and have been characterized by elemental analysis, UV, IR, H-1, and P-31 NMR spectroscopy. Trends in the data are discussed. The crystal structures of Ni[S2P(OC6H4Me-o)(2)](2), Ni[S2P(OC6H4Me-m)(2)](2) and Ni[S2P(OCH2Ph)(2)](2) are also described. Ni[S2P(OC6H4Me-o)(2)](2) crystallizes as monoclinic in the space group P2(1)/n with cell parameters a = 9.069(2), b = 13.503(2), c = 23.735(4) Å, ? = 90.00 degrees, ? = 90.11(1)degrees, ? = 90.00 degrees, V = 2906.6(8) Å(-3) Z = 4, R = 0.0351, R-w = 0.0787, Ni[S2P(OC6H4CH3-m)(2)](2) as triclinic in the space group P (1) over bar with cell parameters ? = 9,4675(4), ? = 12.8568(5), ? = 13.1174(6) Å, ? = 88.810(4)degrees, ? = 83.416(5)degrees, ? = 73.711(4)degrees, V = 1522.4(1) Å(-3), Z = 2, R = 0.0354, R-w = 0.0830, and Ni[S2P(OCH2Ph)(2)](2) as triclinic in the space group P (1) over bar with cell parameters ? = 10.887(2), ? = 14.081(3), ? = 16.238(3) Å, ? = 72.70(3)degrees, beta = 76.57(3)degrees, ? = 72.76(3)degrees, V = 2241.4(8) Å(-3), Z = 2, R = 0.0365, R-w = 0.0785. Each of these has a distorted square-planar geometry around nickel with MS4 coordination environment