Ga[OSi(O t Bu) 3 ] 3 ·THF, a thermolytic molecular precursor for high surface area gallium-containing silica materials of controlled dispersion and stoichiometry
The molecular precursor tris[(tri-tert-butoxy)siloxy]gallium, as the tetrahydrofuran adduct Ga[OSi(OtBu) 3 ] 3 ·THF (1), was synthesized via the salt metathesis reaction of gallium trichloride with NaOSi(OtBu) 3 . This complex serves as a model for isolated gallium in a silica framework. Complex 1 decomposes thermally in hydrocarbon solvent, eliminating isobutylene, water, and tert-butanol to generate high surface area gallium-containing silica at low temperatures. When thermal decomposition was performed in the presence of P-123 Pluronic as a templating agent the generated material displayed uniform vermicular pores. Textural mesoporosity was evident in untemplated material. Co-thermolysis of 1 with HOSi(OtBu) 3 in the presence of P-123 Pluronic led to materials with Ga:Si ratios ranging from 1:3 to 1:50, denoted UCB1-GaSi 3 , UCB1-GaSi 10 , UCB1-GaSi 20 and UCB1-GaSi 50 . After calcination at 500 °C these materials exhibited decreasing surface areas and broadening pore distributions with increasing silicon content, indicating a loss of template effects. The position and dispersion of the gallium in UCB1-GaSi materials was investigated using 71 Ga MAS-NMR, powder XRD, and STEM/EDS elemental mapping. The results indicate a high degree of gallium dispersion in all samples, with gallium oxide clusters or oligomers present at higher gallium content.