The Dihydronaphthalene Elimination Reaction as a Route to Gallium-Nitrogen Compounds. Crystal and Molecular Structure of (PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHPh2

Abstract : The dihydronaphthalene derivative Na2?C10H8Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)2Cl2! reacts at room temperature with NH3, n-PrNH2 and PhNH2 in THF solution to form high yields of (PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHR2 (R = H, n-Pr and Ph), C10H10 and NaCl. In contrast, the elimination reactions between Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)3 with these same amines to form (PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHR2 and PhCMe3 require temperatures of 150 deg C. The cyclopentadiene elimination reaction between (PhMe2CCH2)2Ga(C5H5) and aniline occurs at -10 deg C and is the fastest of these three. An X-ray structural study of (PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHPh2 identified it as the trans isomer.