Synthesis and computational aspects of Al(II)-Al(II) and Ga(II)-Ga(II) dihalides based on an amidinate scaffold.

Amidinate compounds with stabilized aluminium(II) and gallium(II) elements of composition L 2 M 2 X 2 (3 and 4) have been prepared from their LMX 2 (1 and 2) precursor, where M = Al (1 and 4) and Ga (2 and 3); L = PhC(N i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 ) 2 (1 and 4) and PhC(N t Bu) 2 (2 and 3); and X is I (1 and 4) and Cl (2 and 3) and insights into their bonding are gained. The M-M bond lengths are reported along with the single-crystal X-ray structures of 1-4.