Hydrolytically Active Tetranuclear Nickel Complexes with Structural Resemblance to the Active Site of Urease

Reaction of the new asymmetric ligand 2-(N-isopropyl-N-((1-methylimidazolyl)methyl)aminomethyl)-6-(N-carboxylmethyl-N-((1-methylimidazolyl)methyl) aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol (ICIMP) with
nickel perchlorate and diphenylacetic acid leads to the formation
of tetranuclear nickel complexes, whose crystal structures reveal
that they consist of dimers of dimers in which each Ni2 unit has a
coordination environment that is similar to the active site of urease.
One complex has been shown to coordinate urea and catalyze
the hydrolysis of an organophosphate monoester.