title: Lewis acidity of gallium halides.
abstract: The Lewis acidity of GaF(3), GaF(2)Cl, GaFCl(2), and GaCl(3) in acid-base interactions has been studied by taking ammonia as their electron-donating counterpart. We have derived an unoccupied reactive orbital that shows the maximum localization on the Ga atomic center for each species. The orbital is located lower in energy compared to those in the corresponding boron and aluminum halides. In contrast to boron halides, the unoccupied reactive orbital of the acid site tends to be delocalized considerably on the halogens as the fluorines are substituted by chlorines in gallium halides. The trend observed in the effects of fluorine and chlorine on the acidity of the gallium halides is opposite to those found in the boron halides. This cannot be interpreted solely in terms of the electron-accepting strength of the gallium center, but can be understood by including electrostatic interactions and closed-shell repulsion with ammonia in the adducts. The origin of the difference in Lewis acidity of BCl(3), AlCl(3), and GaCl(3) has been clarified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. lavender@zeus.eonet.ne.jp
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujimoto