The Dihydronaphthalene Elimination Reaction as a Route to Gallium−Nitrogen Compounds. Crystal and Molecular Structure of [(PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHPh]2

The dihydronaphthalene derivative Na2{C10H8[Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)2Cl]2} reacts at room temperature with NH3, n-PrNH2, and PhNH2 in THF solution to give high yields of [(PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHR]2 (R = H, n-Pr, Ph), C10H10, and NaCl. In contrast, the elimination reactions between Ga(CH2CMe2Ph)3 with these same amines to form [(PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHR]2 and PhCMe3 require temperatures of 150 °C. The cyclopentadiene elimination reaction between (PhMe2CCH2)2Ga(C5H5) and aniline occurs at −10 °C and is the fastest of these three. An X-ray structural study of [(PhMe2CCH2)2GaNHPh]2 identified it as the trans isomer.