Reactions between the gallium ‘dihalides’ and ethanol

Abstract

The reaction between Ga2X4(X = Cl or Br) and ethanol is complex. Results indicate that at 0 °C the principal reaction is, Ga2X4+ 3EtOH → Ga(OEt)2X + GaX3,EtOH + H2 and at 25 °C, Ga2X4+ 2EtOH → 2Ga(OEt)X2+ H2 Cryoscopic molecular-weight, mass-spectra, and 1H n.m.r. data show that the monoethoxygallium dihalides occur in at least three forms: tetramer, trimer, and dimer. The tetramer (which is thought to contain six-co-ordinate gallium) is thermally unstable and is readily converted to lower forms.