Ga10[Si(SiMe3)3]6, [Ga10(SitBu3)6]-, and [Ga13(SitBu3)6]-Syntheses and Structural Characterization of Novel Gallium Cluster Compounds

Abstract

The novel neutral and anionic gallium clusters Ga10R‘6 and [Ga10R*6]- as well as [Ga13R*6]- are obtained by reaction of “GaI”, prepared sonochemically from gallium and iodine, with Li(THF)3R‘ (R‘ = Si(SiMe3)3 = hypersilyl) and Na(THF)2R* (R* = SitBu3 = supersilyl), respectively. Both of the Ga10 clusters may be considered as conjuncto clusters consisting of two edge-sharing octahedrons. In Ga10R‘6, these contain a Ga4R‘4 and a Ga2R‘2 unit, and in [Ga10R*6]-, they contain two Ga3R*3 units. In addition to the syntheses and X-ray structure analyses of these three clusters, some hypersilylgallium halides are described, namely the [Li(THF)2]+ and [Li(THF)3]+ salts of [R‘GaI3]- as well as the [Li(THF)2]+ salts of [R‘2Ga2Br4]2- and [R‘2Ga2I4]2-.