Reactivity of GaX33 with silylamines and thermal decomposition of the compounds [Cl2Ga{NH(SiMe3)}]2 and [Cl3Ga{NH(SiMe3)2}]

The Lewis acid/base adducts [X(3)Ga{NH(R)(R')}] (X = Cl, R = R' = SiMe(3) (1), SiMe(2)Ph (2) and R = Bu(t), R' = SiMe(3) (3); X = Br, R = R' = SiMe(3) (4) or SiMe(2)Ph (5)) were synthesised by the 1 : 1 reaction of GaX(3) with NH(R)(R') in hexane solution at room temperature. Dimeric complexes, of the type [X(2)Ga{NH(R)}](2) (X = Cl, R = SiMe(3) (6), R = SiMe(2)Ph (7) and R = Bu(t) (8); X = Br, R = SiMe(3) (9)) were prepared by the 1 : 1 reaction of GaX(3) with NH(R)(R') in CH(2)Cl(2) solution. Compounds 1 and 8 have been structurally characterised. Polycrystalline GaN was obtained from the pyrolysis of compounds 1 and 6 under inert conditions (N(2), vacuum) above 500 degreesC, as shown by the X-ray powder diffraction patterns.