THE DIHYDRONAPHTHALENE ELIMINATION-REACTION AS A ROUTE TO GALLIUM-NITROGEN COMPOUNDS - CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF [(PHME2CCH2)(2)GANHPH](2)

The dihydronaphthalene derivative; Na-2(C10H8[Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)(2)Cl](2)) reacts at room temperature with NH3, n-PrNH2, and PhNH2 in THF solutio n to give high yields of [(PhMe2CCH2)(2)GaNHR]2 (R = H, n-Pr, Ph), C10 H10, and NaCl. In contrast, the elimination reactions between Ga(CH2CM e2Ph)(3) with these same amines to form [(PhMe2CCH2)(2)GaNHR](2) and P hCMe3 require temperatures of 150 degrees C. The cyclopentadiene elimi nation reaction between (PhMe2CCH2)(2)Ga(C5H5) and aniline occurs at - 10 degrees C and is the fastest of these three. An X-ray structural st udy of [(PhMe2CCH2)(2)GaNHPh](2) identified it as the trans isomer.