novel potentially tridentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursor, anionic sali-cylaldimine-functionalized imidazolium bromide, [3,5-Bu-t(2)-2-(HO)C6H2CH=NCH2CH2(CH-{(NCHCHNPr)-Pr-i})Br] (HL center dot HBr, 2), was designed. The reaction of in situ-generated monoanionic tridentate salicylaldiminato-functionalized NHC LNa with Ni(PPh3)(2)Br-2 affords a novel monoligand Ni(H) bromide, [3,5-Bu-t(2)-2-(O)C6H2CH=NCH2CH2(C{(NCHCHNPr)-Pr-i})]NiBr (LNiBr, 3), in good yield. Complex 3 can also be synthesized by the direct reaction of nickelocene (CP)(2)Ni or bis-indenyl Ni(II) complex (Ind)(2)Ni with 2 in high yield via the cyclopentadiene or indene elimination reaction, respectively. Complex 3 has been fully characterized including X-ray structural determination. Preliminary study indicated that 3 shows good catalytic activity for the polymerization of styrene in the presence of NaBPh4 at 80 degrees C.