Solution chemistry of cyclotrigallazane: supercritical ammonia and Lewis base catalyzed dehydrogenation to produce poly(imidogallane)

The polymeric hydrido gallium imide (HGaNH)n, or poly(imidogallane) was isolated as an intermediate in the transformation of cyclotrigallazane, (H2GaNH2)3, to gallium nitride in supercritical ammonia. Poly(imidogallane) can be transformed to nanocrystalline GaN through solid-state pyrolysis or be extended thermolysis in supercritical ammonia. The interaction of (H2GaNH2)3 and various Lewis bases leads to the isolation of (HGaNH)n and gallane-Lewis base adducts, H3Ga*base instead of the expected gallazane adducts.