Synthesis and thermolysis of alkyl- and phenylamido diphenylgallium, [Ph(2)GaN(H)R](2). isolation and structural characterization of (PhGaNMe)(7) and (PhGaNPh)(4)

Alkyl- and phenylamido diphenylgallium compounds, Ph(2)GaN(H)R](2) (R = Me, 1; Et, 2; (n)Pr, 3; (i)Bu, 4; Ph, 5), were prepared from the reactions of Ph(3)Ga with the corresponding primary amines and aniline at elevated temperatures and were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectroscopy, and (1)H NMR and IR spectroscopy. These dimeric compounds contained bridging amido groups and exhibited both trans and cis isomers in solution. Thermolysis of compounds 1 and 5 was carried out either without solvent or in dodecane solutions, and two clusters, (PhGaNMe)(7) 6 and (PhGaNPh)(4) 7, were isolated in 24% and 55% yields and characterized. The structure of 6 consisted of a heptameric Ga(7)N(7) core constructed with Ga(2)N(2) and Ga(3)N(3) rings, and the structure of 7 possessed a Ga(4)N(4) cubane core.