Hydride-bridged heterobimetallic complexes of gallium and zinc: The first X-ray structural determination of the GaH₄^-moiety

Reaction of 2 equivalents of LiGaH₄ or 1 equivalent of NaGaH₄ with [ZnCl₂(pmdeta)] (pmdeta = N,N,N′, N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) in diethyl ether at 0 °C gives the heterobimetallic species, [Zn(η¹-GaH₄) Cl (pmdeta)] 1, whereas reaction of [M′GaH₄] with [ZnCl ₂(tmen)] (tmen = N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylenediamine) in 2 : 1 (M′ = Li) or 1 : 1 (M′ = Na)·molar ratio, gives [Zn(η²-GaH₄) Cl (tmen)] 2; the analogous [Zn(η²-BH₄)(Cl(tmen)] 3 is prepared from reaction with 2 molar equivalents of LiBH₄ or with 1 equivalent of NaBH ₄; complexes 1 and 3 are structurally characterised, the former represents the first reported structure of the GaH₄ moiety.