A divalent cobalt iodine complex bearing 1, 3-bis (mesityl) imidazol-2-ylidene and pyridine ligands was synthesized and its structure was determined. The cobalt center has a typical d7- tetrahedral geometry, as expected. Catalytic application of this cobalt complex with bromoalkanes and Grignard reagents demonstrated high-yield formation of alkenes as a result of β-hydrogen elimination; in sharp contrast, the activation of alkyl halides was not ...