Historically somewhat overshadowed by the organometallic chemistry of the transition metals, the organometallic chemistry of the main group elements is now experiencing great activity. In large part this activity is driven by the quest for single source molecular precursors for advanced inorganic/electronic materials. Our group has developed new synthetic strategies resulting in the preparation of a number of interesting gallium-phosphorus compounds, phosphinogallanes, and indium-phosphorus compounds, phosphinoindanes, which have been shown to be attractive molecular precursor templates. Our method involves the utilization of sterically demanding ligands on either the Group 13 metal or on the Group 15 element in order to control the degree of association of the given reaction product.

Another area of organo-main group chemistry with which we are involved is the synthesis of compounds containing M M bonds of the Group 13 metals. We have prepared the first metallic triangle containing a Group 13 metal, Na2[(Mes2C6H3)Ga]3 (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2). The cyclic Ga32- anion of this cyclogallene is the first example of metallic ring with aromatic character.

	download articles:		• Unusual trimetallic magnesium cations and adamantyl anions of aluminum and gallium • Analogies between Group 13 metal clusters in organometallic and intermetallic structures • Formation of a diphosphine: synthesis and molecular structure of bis(tetraphenylbutadienyl)diphosphine, (Ph4C4)P-P(C4Ph4)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

X.-W. Li, W.T. Pennington and G.H. Robinson, "A Metallic System with Aromatic Character. Synthesis and Molecular Structure of Na2[(Mes2C6H3)Ga]3 (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2): The First Cyclogallane," J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 7578.

X.-W. Li, W.T. Pennington and G.H. Robinson, "Synthesis and Molecular Structure of Bis(2,6-Dimesitylphenyl)gallium Chloride, (Mes2C6H3)2GaCl (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2): A Tri-Coordinate T-Shaped Molecule," Organometallics 1995, 14, 2109.

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