Aluminum, gallium and indium thiobenzoates: synthesis, characterization and crystal structures

Abstract

Compounds R₂M[S(O)CPh] [where R = ^tBu, M = Al (1); R = ^tBu, M = Ga (2); R = Me, M = Ga (3)] have been synthesized in reactions of R₃M with thiobenzoic acid in a 1:1 molar ratio of reagents. The reaction of Me₃Ga with three equivalents of thiobenzoic acid yielded the compound Ga[S(O)CPh]₃ (4), in which thiobenzoate moieties act as bidentate SO ligands. In the presence of Et₃N, InCl₃ reacted with thiobenzoic acid with formation of an ionic compound {In[S(O)CPh]₄}⁻(HNEt₃)⁺ (5). The thiobenzoate ligands are bonded with the metallic center via the sulfur atoms only. The compounds 4 and 5 have been structurally and thermally studied. The thermal decomposition pathways of compounds 4 and 5 are proposed.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• aluminum
• gallium
• indium
• thiobenzoic acid
• thermogravimetry

Acknowledgements

The X-ray structures were determined in the Crystallographic Unit of the Physical Chemistry Laboratory at the Chemistry Department of the University of Warsaw.

Funding

We thank the Warsaw University of Technology for its financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at 10.1080/17415993.2015.1025073