Crystal Structures of the Supramolecular Aggregates of the Methyl and Chloro Substituted Gallanes MexGaCl3-x

The crystal structures of the complete series of compounds of the general formula MexGaCl3−x have been determined. New polymorphs of GaCl3 and MeGaCl2 were found. All chloro compounds MexGaCl3−x (x = 0, 1, 2) are dimers with Ga2Cl2 four-membered rings. (GaCl3)2 and (MeGaCl2)2 are aggregated into layers with the same aggregation motif (each molecule connected to four neighbouring molecules), (Me2GaCl)2 is associated in a ladder-like structure (each molecule connected to two neighbouring molecules), GaMe3 forms weakly Ga· · ·C bound pseudo-tetramers aggregated into layers by further Ga· · ·C contacts (each molecule has two shorter Ga· · ·C’ and C· · ·Ga’ and two weaker Ga· · ·C’ and C· · ·Ga’ contacts).