A Dimethylgallium Boryl Complex and Its Methyllithium Addition Compound

The three-coordinate complex Me2Ga[B(NArCH)(2)] (Ar = C(6)H(3)iPr(2)-2,6) is accessible via a tandem Lewis acid-base metathesis protocol employing (THF)(2)Li[B(NArCH)(2)] and GaMe3. It features a very short Ga-B bond of 2.067(3) angstrom, which was further investigated by DFT calculations and the analysis of the electron density. Reaction of MeLi with Me2Ga[B(NArCH)(2)] forms tetrameric [LiMe3Ga{B(NArCH)(2)}](4) with a nanowheel structure.