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 L2M2X2 (3 and 4) have been prepared from their LMX2 (1 and 2) precursor, where M = Al (1 and 4) and Ga (2 and 3); L = PhC((NPr2C6H3)-Pr-i)(2) (1 and 4) and PhC((NBu)-Bu-t)(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.