Could Saruman kill Gandalf, and if he could would he have survived the battle? Gandalf died after a battle with a Balrog, a Maiar in its natural form with no restrictions upon it. The Balrog itself also died in the battle.
Saruman was subject to the same restrictions as Gandalf, so there would have been no guarantee for Saruman that he would survive such a battle. There's not much point having a plan to take over the world if you could die on Step 3.
As Tolkien mentions in Letter 156:
they were embodied in physical bodies capable of pain, and weariness, and of afflicting the spirit with physical fear, and of being 'killed'.
That aside, the conclusion is that already evidenced and espoused by Saruman - he wanted Gandalf to reveal where the One Ring was hidden, and being dead would not help that plan. Imprisoning him was a prelude.
"The third choice is to stay here, until the end."
"Until what end?"
"Until you reveal to me where the One may be found. I may find means to persuade you."
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