A Dimethylgallium Boryl Complex and Its Methyllithium Addition Compound.

The three-coordinate complex Me2Ga[B-(NArCH)2] (Ar = C6H3iPr2-2,6) is accessible via a tandem Lewis acid-base metathesis protocol employing (THF)2Li[B(NArCH)2] and GaMe3. It features a very short Ga-B bond of 2.067(3) A, 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]