Some Chemical Properties of Monochlorogallane: Decomposition to Gallium(I) Trichlorogallate(III), Ga⁺[GaCl₃H]^-, and Other Reactions

Abstract

Thermal decomposition of monochlorogallane, [H2GaCl]n, at ambient temperatures releases H2 and results in the formation of gallium(I) species, including the new compound Ga[GaHCl3], which has been characterized crystallographically at 100 K (monoclinic P21/n, a = 5.730(1), b = 6.787(1), c = 14.508(1) Å, β = 97.902(5)°) and by its Raman spectrum. The gallane suffers symmetrical cleavage of the Ga(μ-Cl)2Ga bridge in its reaction with NMe3 but unsymmetrical cleavage, giving [H2Ga(NH3)2]+Cl-, in its reaction with NH3. Ethene inserts into the Ga−H bonds to form first [Et(H)GaCl]2 and then [Et2GaCl]2.