Gallium–gallium bonds as efficient templates for the generation of a large cage containing twelve gallium atoms

Abstract

Treatment of the digallium compound R(2)Ga-GaR(2) [R = CH(SiMe(3))(2)] with benzotriazol-5-carboxylic acid afforded a large cage-like compound in which six Ga-Ga bonds are bridged by six trifunctional ligands. The central cavity encapsulated a THF molecule which cannot be removed in vacuo and does not show exchange with a large excess of the solvent.