Reversible metal-centered reduction empowers a Ni-Corrin to mimic F430.

This communication presents a novel truncated NiII-containing metbalamin and describes its reversible one electron reduction to a catalytically active NiI species, that features cofactor F430 model character. Our results strikingly demonstrate that stabilization of NiI is not restricted to the related hydroporhyrinoid ligands and is of relevance to the application of metallocorrins in (biomimetic) catalysis.