Unprecedented gallium-nitrogen anions: synthesis and characterization of [(Cl3Ga)3N]3- and [(Cl3Ga)2NSnMe3]2-.

The [(Cl3Ga)3N](3-) (1) anion, which is the sole example of a discrete chemical species containing a μ3-N atom bound only to gallium, was isolated from the reaction of Cl3Ga·N(SnMe3)3 with [GaCl4](1-). The analogous reaction of [GaCl4](1-) with (Me3Sn)3N afforded [(Cl3Ga)2NSnMe3](2-) (2), which is also an unprecedented anion containing a single μ3-N atom bound to only gallium and tin.