2,6-diphenylphenyl-based organometallic compounds of gallium

(2,6-Diphenylphenyl)lithium-bis(diethyl ether), Ph2C6H3Li . Et2O (I), was s ynthesized by reaction of n-butyllithium with 2,6-diphenyl-1-iodobenzene in diethyl ether. Reaction of I with group 13 metal halides, MX3 (M = Ga, X = Cl, I; M = In, X = Cl), affords bis(2,6-diphenylphenyl)gallium iodide, (Ph 2C6H3)(2)GaI (II), bis(2,6-diphenylphenyl)indium chloride, (Ph2C6H3)(2)InCl (III), and bis(diethyl ether)lithium trichloro-2,6-diphenylphenylgallate, [Li . 2Et(2)O][Ph2C6H3GaCl3] (IV). Reaction of (2,4,6-triphenylphenyl)lithi um with GaCl3 gives (diethyl ether)lithium trichloro(2,4,6-triphenylphenyl) gallate, [Li . Et2O][Ph3C6H2GaCl3] (V). The group 13 metal aryls were chara cterized by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, and single-c rystal X-ray diffraction. The neutral lithium aryl (I) and arylgallium hali de species (II) exhibit trigonal-planar coordination, while the coordinatio n of the gallium atoms in anions IV and V assume distorted-tetrahedral conf ormations.