Copyright The Royal Society of Chemistry, 1998.

                      SUPPLEMENTARY DATA: TABLE 1.
                                    
                                    
 Kinetic Data for the Formation of [NiH(dppe)2]+ in the Reaction
Between
                  [Ni(dppe)2] and HCl in THF at 25.00C.



[Ni(dppe)2]/mmol dm-3         [HCl]/mmoldm-3               
kobs/s-1
     0.1                      1.0                         22.3
                              2.5                         22.5
                              5.0                         21.3
                              10.0                        20.1
                              20.0                        20.0
                              30.0                        18.0
                              40.0                        20.4
                              50.0                        20.7

     0.2                      5.0                         22.0
     0.05                     5.0                         22.3