Coordination complexes derived from 3,6-di(2-pyridyl)-1,4-dihydro- 1,2,4,5-tetrazine (DPDHT). Synthesis and molecular structure of [(DPT)(GaMe₂)₂]

The facile reaction of 3,6-di(2-pyridyl)-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (DPDHT) (1) with trimethylgallium has resulted in the formation of the purple crystalline product, [(DPT)(GaMe₂)₂] (2), via methane elimination. Crystals of [(DPT)(GaMe₂)₂] are orthorhombic, Pbca, a = 15.380(2), b = 21.642(4), c = 11.355(2) Å, Z = 8. The structure was solved by heavy-atom Patterson methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares procedures to R = 0.035 for 1570 reflections with I = 3s(I) (R(w) = 0.063 for all 4342 reflections). The [(DPT)(GaMe₂)₂] molecule is roughly planar (apart from the four methyl groups), in contrast to the folded structure of the DPDHT molecule; molecular dimensions are normal.