A series of nickel complexes with β-ketoamine ligands based on pyrazolone derivatives were synthesized by condensing pyrazolone with aniline, 2-chloroaniline or naphthylamine and then reacting the produced β-ketoamine with nickel halide. The solid-state structures of these three complexes were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The bis(β-ketoamine)nickel complexes are all air-stable and can act as highly active catalyst precursors for styrene polymerization with activation of methylaluminoxane under mild reaction conditions. The...
