Synthesis, characterization, and thermal decomposition of [Cl2GaP(SiMe3)2]2, a potential precursor to gallium phosphide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om00031a061

[Cl₂GaP(SiMe₃)₂]₂ (1) has been prepared from the 1:1 reaction of GaCl₃ with P(SiMe₃)₃. Thermal decomposition of 1 produces a brown powder which contains GaP, as evidenced by an X-ray powder pattern and partial elemental analysis. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n (No. 14) with a = 9.754(2) ?, b = 15.585(5) ?, c = 9.839(2) ?, and β = 96.18(1)°, is composed of a planar Ga-P-Ga-P ring, with Ga-P bond distances of 2.378(2) and 2.380(2) ?, and contains exocyclic chlorine and SiMe₃ ligands. The ring core is a slightly distorted square, with Ga-P-Ga′ and P-Ga-P′ bond angles of 86.41(7) and 93.59(7)°, respectively. Additionally, ¹H NMR confirms that 1 exhibits monomer-dimer equilibrium in solution.