Aminoalkoxo-supported heteroleptic hexanuclear gallium(III) wheel as a synthon for group 13 heterometallics: A rare sol-gel precursor for mixed Al-Ga oxide as support for gold catalysts

A new heteroleptic gallium(III) complex, Ga6Cl6(mdea)(6) (1 2CHCl(3)) (mdeaH(2) = N-methyl diethanolamine) was prepared in good yield by a chloro-aminoalkoxo exchange reaction and used as a synthon for the synthesis of a novel group 13 heterometallic derivative, Ga2Al4(O)(2)(mdea)(2)(OPrt)(10) (2 2CHCl(3)), the latter acting as a facile single source precursor for the sol-gel preparation of the mixed Al-Ga oxide as a high surface area support for gold catalysts.