RESEARCH INTERESTS
This research group is concerned with the organometallic chemistry of aluminum, gallium, and indium. One of the most challenging frontiers of this field concerns the synthesis of compounds containing metal-metal bonds. In 1995 we reported the first organometallic ring compound of Group 13 elements: Na2[(Mes2C6H3)Ga]3 (Mes = 1,3,5-Me3C6H2), the first example of aromatic cyclogallene (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 7578). The X-ray structure of cyclogallene is shown below.
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Cyclogallene
Recently, two major advances were made by this research group. One of
them concerns a compound containing the first gallium-gallium triple bond: Na2[(Mes*2C6H3)Ga
Ga(Mes*2C6H3)]
[Mes* = 1,3,5-i-(C3H7)3C6H2],
while the other concerns the first gallium-iron triple bond: (CO)4FeGa(Mes*2C6H3).
The gallium-gallium triple bond compound, gallyne, was published in the Journal of the
American Chemical Society (1997, 119, 5471) and cited in Chemical and
Engineering News (16 June 1997, page 9-10) as the "Top Story of
the Week". The gallium-iron triple bond compound, ferrogallyne, was
published in Organometallics
(1997, 16, 4511) and cited in Chemical and
Engineering News (20 October 1997, page 37) as a Science Concentrate.
The following are X-ray crystal structures with links to their important bond
distances and angles.
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Gallyne
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Ferrogallyne
These findings have sparked intense discussion in the
chemistry community. To find out more on this subject, check out the Hot Article of the
16 March 1998 issue of Chemical and Engineering News, which roughly
summarizes the discussion.
For an interactive 3-dimensional view of these molecules, click here. However, you do need a small popular plug-in (800 KB) called Chemscape Chime (If you don't have it, you can download it from here).
Current Group Members
Recent Publications
A Metallic System with Aromatic Character. Synthesis and
Molecular Structure of
Na2 [(Mes2C6H3)Ga]3 (Mes
= 2,4,6-Me3C6H2): The First Cyclogallane
Journal of the American Chemical Society 1995, 117,
7578-7579.
Xiao-Wang Li, William T. Pennington, and Gregory H. Robinson.
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This publication was cited in Chemical and Engineering News (24 July 1995, page 36) in the Science/Technology Concentrates column under the title: Ring of three gallium atoms displays aromatic behavior |
Sterically Demanding Organoindium Compounds. Synthesis and Molecular
Structure of Bis[(2,6-Dimesitylphenyl)indium Dichloride], [Mes2C6H3)InCl2]2
(Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2)
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 1995, 501, 399-402.
Gregory H. Robinson, Xiao-Wang Li, and William T. Pennington.
Disproportionation of Low Valent Indium Bromide: Synthesis and Molecular
Structure of Bis(2,6-Dimesitylphenyl)gallium Chloride, (2,6-Mes2C6H3)2InBr
(Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2).
When Does Trigonal Planar Become T-Shaped?
Main Group Chemistry 1996, 1, 301-307.
Xiao-Wang Li, William T. Pennington, and Gregory H. Robinson.
The Organometallic Chemistry of the Group 13 MetalóMetal Bond: An Emerging
Field
Main Group Chemistry News 1996, 4, 4-9.
Gregory H. Robinson.
Cyclogallanes and Metalloaromaticity. Synthesis and Molecular Structure of K2
[(Mes2C6H3)Ga]3 (Mes =
2,4,6-Me3C6H2): A Structural and Theoretical
Examination
Organometallics 1996, 15, 3798-3803.
Xiao-Wang Li, Yaoming Xie, Peter R. Schreiner, Kevin D. Gripper, R. Chad
Crittendon,
Charles F. Campana, Henry F. Schaefer, III, and Gregory H. Robinson.
Are Cyclogallenes M2[GaH]3 (M = Li, Na, K) Aromatic?
Journal of the American Chemical Society 1996, 118,
10635-10639.
Yaoming Xie, Peter R. Schreiner, Henry F. Schaefer, III, Xiao-Wang Li, and
Gregory H. Robinson.
Synthesis and Molecular Structure of Organo-Group 13 Metal Carbene Complexes
Chemical Communications 1996, 2683.
Xiao-Wang Li, Jianrui Su, and Gregory H. Robinson.
Syntheses, Structure, and Reactivity of 2,6-Dimesitylphenyl Based Sterically
Demanding Gallium Aryls
Organometallics 1997, 16, 2443-2447.
R. Chad Crittendon, Xiao-Wang Li, Jianrui Su, and Gregory H. Robinson.
How Short is a -GaGa- Triple Bond? Synthesis
and Molecular Structure of Na2[Mes*2C6H3-GaGa-C6H3Mes*2]
(Mes* = 2,4,6-i-Pr3C6H2): The First
Gallyne
Journal of the
American Chemical Society 1997, 119, 5471-5472.
Jianrui Su, Xiao-Wang Li, R. Chad Crittendon, and Gregory H. Robinson.
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This publication was cited in Chemical and Engineering News (16 June 1997, page 9-10) as the Top Story of the News of the Week column under the title: Cited in Chemistry & Industry (21 July 1997, page 568) as the a recent Highlight in Inorganic Chemistry. |
Are Heterocyclic 2p-Electron Aromatic Systems HC-Ga(H)-CH,
M[HGa-C(H)-GaH], [HGa-C(H)-GaH]-, HSi-Ga(H)-SiH, M[HGa-Si(H)-Ga] (M
= Li, Na, and K) and [HGa-Si(H)-GaH]- Stable?
Organometallics 1997, 17,
114.
Yaoming Xie, Peter R. Schreiner, Henry F.
Schaefer, III, Xiao-Wang Li, and Gregory H. Robinson.
2,6-Bis(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)phenyl as
an extraordinarily bulky ligand in organometallic chemistry. Synthesis and
molecular structure of [(Mes*2C6H3)MCl2]2
(M = Ga, In; Mes* = 2,4,6-i-Pr3C6H2)
Jianrui Su, Xiao-Wang Li, and Gregory H.
Robinson.
Chemical Communications 1997, submitted 6 May 1997.
Experimental Confirmation of An Iron-Gallium
Multiple Bond: Synthesis, Structure, and Bonding of a Ferrogallyne
Organometallics 1997, 16,
1157.
Jianrui Su, Xiao-Wang Li, R. Chad Crittendon,
and Gregory H. Robinson.
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This publication was cited in Chemical and Engineering News (20 October 1997, page 37) in a science concentrate under the title: |
The Nature of the Gallium-Gallium Triple
Bond
Journal of the American Chemical
Society 1998, 120, 3773.
Yaoming Xie, R. S. Grev, Jiande Gu, Henry F.
Schaefer III, Paul v. R. Schleyer, Jianrui Su, Xiao-Wang Li, and Gregory H.
Robinson.
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This publication was cited in Chemical and Engineering News (16 March1998, page 31) in the Hot Article of the Week under the title: Gallium 'Triple
Bonds' Under Fire |
Back to Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia
Last updated 3-29-2000
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