3172 Organometallics, Vol. 21, No. 15, 2002
Pott et al.
techniques. The solvents were purified by conventional means
and distilled immediately prior to use. Xyl-dab, Mes-dab, and
Dipp-dab were prepared according to the literature.20 “GaI”
was prepared by a modified procedure according to the
literature.10 Sonication experiments were performed using a
Bandelin Sonorex Super 10 P ultrasonic bath (50% power).
Elemental analyses were performed by the Microanalytical
Laboratory of the Universita¨t Bielefeld. IR data were collected
using a Bruker Vektor 22-FT spectrometer. The samples were
measured as KBr pellets. The melting point determinations
were performed using a Bu¨chi 510 melting point apparatus.
The ESR spectrum was recorded on a Bruker ESP 300 system.
P r ep a r a tion of 1. A mixture of gallium particles (697 mg,
10 mmol) and iodine (1269 mg, 10 mmol) in 50 mL of benzene
was sonicated for 12 h at 50 °C. To the resulting suspension
of pale green “GaI” in benzene was added 5 mmol of Xyl-dab
(1322 mg). Instantaneously a brown solution was formed and
gallium metal precipitated. The reaction mixture was stirred
for another 2 h. After filtration, all volatile components were
removed in vacuo to yield 2675 mg of 1 (4.6 mmol, 91% based
on Xyl-dab) as a brown crystalline solid. Single crystals
suitable for X-ray crystallography were obtained by recrystal-
lization from toluene at room temperature. Mp: 170-180 °C
(dec). IR (cm-1, KBr): 2962(s), 2918(m), 1450(s), 1378(w), 1326-
(m), 1261(m), 1231(s), 1096(m), 1030(m), 881(w), 801(w), 772-
(m). Anal. Calcd for C18H20GaI2N2 (M ) 587.88 g mol-1): C,
36.78; H, 3.43; N, 4.77. Found: C, 36.70; H, 3.48; N, 4.60.
P r ep a r a tion of 2. The same procedure was used in the
reaction of “GaI” (10 mmol) with Mes-dab (1462 mg, 5 mmol)
in benzene (50 mL). Compound 2, 2864 mg (4.7 mmol, 93%
based on Mes-dab), was obtained as a brown crystalline solid.
Single crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography were ob-
tained by recrystallization from toluene at room temperature.
Mp: 170-180 °C (dec). IR (cm-1, KBr): 2961(s), 2920(m), 1452-
(s), 1380(w), 1324(m), 1263(m), 1227(m), 1091(m), 1026(m),
881(w), 800(w), 776(m). Anal. Calcd for C20H24GaI2N2 (M )
615.93 g mol-1): C, 39.00; H, 3.93; N, 4.55. Found: C, 38.76;
H, 3.91; N, 4.43.
F igu r e 6. ORTEP plot of 4, thermal ellipsoids at 50%
probability.
The reaction of 1 with 1 equiv of the 1,4-dilithiated
Xyl-dab led to the formation of Ga(Xyl-dab)2 (4) (eq 2).
Compound 4 was isolated in high yield as an air-
sensitive, dark brown, crystalline solid, which readily
dissolves in aprotic organic solvents such as n-hexane,
toluene, and THF.
Single crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography were
obtained by recrystallization from a concentrated solu-
tion in toluene at room temperature. 4 crystallizes in
the space group Pbcn (Figure 6).
The molecule lies on a crystallographic symmetry axis
(C2), which results from the intersecting NCCN planes.
As in Ga(But-dab)2,7 the bonding in 4 shows all the
characteristics of one singly and one doubly reduced
P r ep a r a tion of 3. The same procedure was used in the
reaction of “GaI” (10 mmol) with Dipp-dab (1883 mg, 5 mmol)
in benzene (50 mL). Compound 3, 3290 mg (4.7 mmol, 94%
based on Dipp-dab), was obtained as a brown crystalline solid.
Single crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography were ob-
tained by recrystallization from toluene at room temperature.
Mp: 170-180 °C (dec). IR (cm-1, KBr): 2963(s), 2922(m), 2863-
(w), 1451(s), 1382(w), 1360(w), 1322(m), 1264(m), 1251(m),
1224(m), 797(m), 786(m), 753(m). Anal. Calcd for C26H36GaI2N2
(M ) 700.09 g mol-1): C, 44.61; H, 5.18; N, 4.00. Found: C,
44.30; H, 5.11; N, 3.94.
dab ligand, the bond lengths being as follows: dab2-
:
CdC ) 1.331(4) Å, C-N ) 1.413(2) Å, Ga-N ) 1.8831-
(13) Å; dab-: C-C ) 1.402(3) Å, C-N ) 1.337(2) Å,
Ga-N ) 1.9678(13) Å. Obviously, the orthogonality of
the dab ligands precludes any rapid intramolecular
electron transfer and delocalization of charge between
dab2- and dab-.
P r ep a r a tion of 4. A suspension of 1,4-dilithio-1,4-bis[2,6-
dimethylphenyl]-1,4-diazabuta1,3-diene in toluene (40 mL),
prepared from the diazabutadiene (1322 mg, 5 mmol) and
lithium metal (69 mg, 10 mmol), was added to a solution of 1
(2939 mg, 5 mmol) in toluene (40 mL). After filtration, all
volatile components were removed in vacuo to yield 2693 mg
of 4 (4.5 mmol, 90% based on Xyl-dab) as a brown crystalline
solid. Single crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography were
obtained by recrystallization from toluene at room tempera-
ture. Mp: 190 °C. IR (cm-1, KBr): 2964(s), 1630(w), 1550(w),
1478(m), 1344(m), 1262(m), 1226(s), 1101(s), 781(w). Anal.
Calcd for C36H40GaN4 (M ) 598.44 g mol-1): C, 72.25; H, 6.74;
N, 9.36. Found: C, 72.18; H, 6.45; N, 9.33.
Con clu sion
In the reaction of 1,4-diazabutadienes possessing
bulky substituents in 1,4-position with “Green’s GaI”,
neither simple complex formation (to type III com-
pounds) nor clean oxidative addition (to type I com-
pounds) is observed. Instead, a more complex reaction
sequence takes place, which finally leads to compounds
1-3 of the composition (dab)-IGaIIII2 containing the
paramagnetic monoanion of the respective dab species
(type II compounds) and to the formation of elemental
gallium. ESR measurements and quantum chemical
calculations explain the bonding within the novel het-
erocycles. The diiodo substituents can be replaced by
ene-diamido dianions, as shown by the synthesis of
Ga(Xyl-dab)2 (4).
Su p p or tin g In for m a tion Ava ila ble: Tables of crystal
structure data, positional and thermal parameters, and bond
lengths and angles of 1-4. This material is available free of
OM0200510
Exp er im en ta l Section
Gen er a l Com m en ts. All manipulations were carried out
under a purified argon atmosphere using standard vacuum
(20) tom Dieck, H.; Svoboda, M.; Greiser, T. Z. Naturforsch. 1980,
36b, 823.