Solvation structure determination of nickel(II) ion in six nitriles using extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

The solvation structures of the nickel(II) ion in six nitriles have been determined using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The coordination number and the Ni-N bond length are 6 and 206.9+/-0.6 pm in acetonitrile, 5.9+/-0.2 and 206.9+/-0.6 pm in propionitrile, 6.0+/-0.2 and 205.8+/-0.6 pm in butyronitrile, 6.0+/-0.2 and 206.8+/-0.6 pm in isobutylonitrile, 6.0+/-0.2 and 206.8+/-0.6 pm in valeronitrile, and 6.0+/-0.2 and 206.5+/-0.7 pm in benzonitrile, respectively. The structure parameters around the nickel(II) ion in all the nitriles are not affected by the bulkiness of the nitrile molecules. On the basis of the obtained structure parameters, we have discussed the structural characteristics around the nickel(II) ion with nitrogen and oxygen donor solvents and the reaction mechanisms for nitrile exchange on the nickel(II) ion.