Oligomerization of dialkylazidogallium compounds: a structural and solution-phase study

Abstract

Dialkylazidogallium compounds R₂GaN₃ (R = ^tBu (1), Me₃SiCH₂ (3), ⁱPr (5)) are prepared by reaction of the dialkylmethoxy gallium precursors with trimethylsilylazide. The reactions produce the target compounds in high purity and yield. All compounds are low-melting solids or liquids, which have no tendency to thermally decompose near their melting/boiling points. The compounds display variable degrees of oligomerization in different physical states. Compound 3 is a solid-state trimer, but exhibits a monomer–dimer equilibrium in solution. Compound 1 is a waxy solid, and appears to be composed of dimeric molecules on the basis of mass spectral, Raman and PM3 computational analyses.