The reactivity of digallane (dpp-Bian)Ga-Ga(dpp-Bian) (1), which consists of redox-active ligand 1,2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene (dpp-Bian), has been studied. The reaction of 1 with I2 proceeds via one-electron oxidation of each of two dpp-Bian ligands to a radical-anionic state and affords complex (dpp-Bian)IGa-GaI(dpp-Bian) (2). Dissolution of complex 2 in pyridine (Py) gives monomeric compound (dpp-Bian)GaI(Py) (3) as a result of a solvent-induced intramolecular electron transfer from the metal-metal bond to the dpp-Bian ligands. Treatment of compound 3 with B(C6F5)3 leads to removal of pyridine and restores compound 2. The reaction of compound 1 with 3,6-di-tert-butyl-ortho-benzoquinone (3,6-Q) proceeds with oxidation of all the redox-active centers in 1 (the Ga-Ga bond and two dpp-Bian dianions) and results in mononuclear catecholate (dpp-Bian)Ga(Cat) (4) (Cat = [3,6-Q](2-)). Treatment of 4 with AgBF4 gives a mixture of [(dpp-Bian)2Ag][BF4] (5) and (dpp-Bian)GaF(Cat) (6), which both consist of neutral dpp-Bian ligands. The reduction of benzylideneacetone (BA) with 1 generates the BA radical-anions, which dimerize, affording (dpp-Bian)Ga-(BA-BA)-Ga(dpp-Bian) (7). In this case the Ga-Ga bond remains unchanged. Within 10 min at 95 °C in solution compound 7 undergoes transformation to paramagnetic complex (dpp-Bian)Ga(BA-BA) (8) and metal-free compound C36H40N2 (9). The latter is a product of intramolecular addition of the C-H bond of one of the iPr groups to the C═N bond in dpp-Bian. Diamagnetic compounds 3, 5, 6, and 9 have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy, and paramagnetic complexes 2, 4, 7, and 8 by ESR spectroscopy. Molecular structures of 2-7 and 9 have been established by single-crystal X-ray analysis.

Whereas the chemistry of single-bond activation by compounds of the main group elements has undergone some development in recent years, the cleavage of multiple bonds remains underexplored. Herein, the reactions of two digallanes bearing α-diimine ligands, namely, [L Ga-GaL ] (1, L =dpp-dad=[(2,6-iPr C H )NC(CH )] ) and [L Ga-GaL ] (2, L =dpp-bian=1,2-[(2,6-iPr C H )NC] C H ), with isothiocyanates are reported. Reactions of 1 or 2 with isothiocyanates in 1:2 molar ratio proceeded with [2+4] cycloaddition of the C=S bond across the C N Ga metallacycle with formation of C-C and S-Ga single bonds to afford [L (RN=C-S)Ga-Ga(S-C=NR)L ] (3, R=Me; 4, R=Ph) and [L (RN=C-S)Ga-Ga(S-C=NR)L ] (8, R=allyl; 9, R=Ph). In the cases of 8 and 9, this cycloaddition is reversible. The digallanes reacted with 2 equiv of PhNCS in the presence of Na metal or at high temperatures through a unique reductive cleavage of the C=S bond to yield the disulfide-bridged digallium species [Na(THF) ] [L Ga(μ-S) GaL ] (5), [L Ga(μ-S) GaL ] (10), and [Na(DME) ][L Ga(μ-S) GaL ] (11). Moreover, products 4 and 5 can further react with an excess of isothiocyanate, through cleavage of the C=S bond or cycloaddition, to give the bis- or mono-S-bridged complexes [Na(THF) ] [L (PhN=C-S)Ga(μ-S) Ga(S-C=NPh)L ] (6) and [L (PhN=C-S)Ga(μ-S)Ga(S-C=NPh)L ] (7). All the newly prepared compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, NMR (3-9) or ESR spectroscopy (11), and DFT calculations.

The reactivity of digallane (dpp-Bian)Ga-Ga(dpp-Bian) (1) (dpp-Bian = 1,2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene) toward acenaphthenequinone (AcQ), sulfur dioxide, and azobenzene was investigated. The reaction of 1 with AcQ in 1:1 molar ratio proceeds via two-electron reduction of AcQ to give (dpp-Bian)Ga(μ2-AcQ)Ga(dpp-Bian) (2), in which diolate [AcQ](2-) acts as "bracket" for the Ga-Ga bond. The interaction of 1 with AcQ in 1:2 molar ratio proceeds with an oxidation of the both dpp-Bian ligands as well as of the Ga-Ga bond to give (dpp-Bian)Ga(μ2-AcQ)2Ga(dpp-Bian) (3). At 330 K in toluene complex 2 decomposes to give compounds 3 and 1. The reaction of complex 2 with atmospheric oxygen results in oxidation of a Ga-Ga bond and affords (dpp-Bian)Ga(μ2-AcQ)(μ2-O)Ga(dpp-Bian) (4). The reaction of digallane 1 with SO2 produces, depending on the ratio (1:2 or 1:4), dithionites (dpp-Bian)Ga(μ2-O2S-SO2)Ga(dpp-Bian) (5) and (dpp-Bian)Ga(μ2-O2S-SO2)2Ga(dpp-Bian) (6). In compound 5 the Ga-Ga bond is preserved and supported by dithionite dianionic bracket. In compound 6 the gallium centers are bridged by two dithionite ligands. Both 5 and 6 consist of dpp-Bian radical anionic ligands. Four-electron reduction of azobenzene with 1 mol equiv of digallane 1 leads to complex (dpp-Bian)Ga(μ2-NPh)2Ga(dpp-Bian) (7). Paramagnetic compounds 2-7 were characterized by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, and their molecular structures were established by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Magnetic behavior of compounds 2, 5, and 6 was investigated by superconducting quantum interference device technique in the range of 2-295 K.

The reaction of digallane (dpp-bian)Ga-Ga(dpp-bian) (2) (dpp-bian=1,2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene) with allyl chloride (AllCl) proceeded by a two-electron oxidative addition to afford paramagnetic complexes (dpp-bian)Ga(η -All)Cl (3) and (dpp-bian)(Cl)Ga-Ga(Cl)(dpp-bian) (4). Treatment of complex 4 with pyridine induced an intramolecular redox process, which resulted in the diamagnetic complex (dpp-bian)Ga(Py)Cl (5). In reaction with allyl bromide, complex 2 gave metal- and ligand-centered addition products (dpp-bian)Ga(η -All)Br (6) and (dpp-bian-All)(Br)Ga-Ga(Br)(dpp-bian-All) (7). The reaction of digallane 2 with Ph SnNCO afforded (dpp-bian)Ga(SnPh ) (8) and (dpp-bian)(NCO)Ga-Ga(NCO)(dpp-bian) (9). Treatment of GaCl with (dpp-bian)Na in diethyl ether resulted in the formation of (dpp-bian)GaCl (10). Diorganylgallium derivatives (dpp-bian)GaR (R=Ph, 11; tBu, 14; Me, 15; Bn, 16) and (dpp-bian)Ga(η -All)R (R=nBu, 12; Cp, 13) were synthesized from complexes 3, 10, Bn GaCl, or tBu GaCl by salt metathesis. The salt elimination reaction between (dpp-bian)GaI (17) and tBuLi was accompanied by reduction of both the metal and the dpp-bian ligand, which resulted in digallane 2 as the final product. Similarly, the reaction of complex 10 with MentMgCl (Ment=menthyl) proceeded with reduction of the dpp-bian ligand to give the diamagnetic complex [(dpp-bian)GaCl ][Mg Cl (THF) ] (18). Compounds 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 were thermally robust, whereas compound 14 decomposed when heated at reflux in toluene to give complex (dpp-bian-tBu)GatBu (19). Both complexes 7 and 19 contain R-substituted dpp-bian ligand: in the former compound the allyl group was attached to the imino-carbon atom, whereas in complex 19, the tBu group was situated on the naphthalene ring. Crystal structures of complexes 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, and 19 were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The presence of dpp-bian radical anions in 3, 6, 8, and 10-16 was determined by ESR spectroscopy.