Formation of the digallium compound [(H5C6)(2)N-3](R)Ga-Ga(R)[N-3(C6H5)(2)] with two bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl groups and two terminal chelating diphenyltriazenido ligands

Tetrakis[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]diagallane(4) 1 reacts with 1,3-diphenyltriazene to yield two compounds, which were both characterized by a crystal structure determination. The gallium-gallium bond is retained in the yellow derivative [(H5C6)(2)N-3](R)Ga-Ga(R)[N-3(C6H5)(2)] 2 [R = CH(SiMe(3))2], which is formed by a ligand exchange reaction and shows two terminal chelating triazenido ligands besides two bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl groups; the Ga-Ga bond length is 245.79(6) pm. The second product is the orange dialkyl(diphenyltriazenido)gallium derivative R(2)Ga[N-3(C6H5)(2)] 3, where the triazene has reacted as an oxidant by the clevage of the Ga-Ga bond and probably by release of elemental hydrogen.