Reactions of cationic transition metal acetonitrile complexes [M(CH3CN)n]m+ with GaCp*: novel gallium complexes of iron, cobalt, copper and silver.

The reactions of the cationic transition metal acetonitrile complexes [M(CH3CN)n]m+ (m = 2: M = Fe, Co and m = 1: M = Cu, Ag) with GaCp* were investigated. The reaction of [Fe(CH3CN)6][BArF]2 (BAr(F) = [B{C6H3(CF3)2}4) with GaCp* leads to [Cp*Fe(GaCp*)3][BAr(F)] (1) via a redox neutral Cp* transfer and [Ga2Cp*][BAr(F)] as a by-product while the formation of [Cp*Co(GaCp*)3][BAr(F)]2 (2) from [Co(CH3CN)6][BAr(F)]2 is accompanied by oxidation of Co(II) to Co(III) with GaCp* as the oxidant. The reactions of [Cu(CH3CN)4][BAr(F)] and Ag[BPh4] with GaCp* lead to the formation of the homoleptic compounds [Cu(GaCp*)4][BAr(F)] (4) and [Ag(GaCp*)4][BPh4] (5), while treatment of Ag[CF3SO3] with GaCp* leads to the dimeric complex [Ag2(GaCp*)3(micro-GaCp*)2][CF3SO3]2 (6). All compounds were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis.