Gallium and Indium Arsanido Metalates: Compounds Derived from the Zinc Blende and Wurtzite Structure

The reaction of InCl₃ with LiAs^tBu₂ in THF at –78 °C gives the indium arsenide Cl₂InAs^tBu₂ ( 1 ), which is dimer in solution and solid state. The corresponding reaction of InCl₃ with Li₂As^tBu leads to the metalate [Li(THF)₄]₂[(InCl)₄(InCl₂)₂(As^tBu)₆] ( 2 ). The arsanido metalate [Li(THF)₄]₂[(GaCl₂)₆(As^tBu)₄] · THF ( 3 · THF) could be obtained by treatment of GaCl₃ with Li₂As^tBu in the molar ratio 6 : 4. A comparable reaction with TlCl₃ and LiAsR₂ or LiPR₂, respectively, was not successful because of the oxidation potential of TlCl₃. The reaction mixture of TlCl₃ and LiPPh₂ for example gives TlCl and Ph₂P–PPh₂ ( 4 ) as redox products. The octaarsane [As(As^tBu)₃]₂ ( 5 ) can be obtained by the treatment of ^tBuAs(SiMe₃)₂ with TlCl₃ in THF. 1–5 were characterized by NMR, IR and MS techniques. The X‐ray analyses of 2 and 3 · THF show that 2 can be derived from the wurtzite structure while the zinc blende structure is the model for 3 with a adamantane‐like dianion [(GaCl₂)₆(As^tBu)₄]^2–.