Coordination modes of 2-mercapto-1,3-benzothiazolate in gallium and indium complexes

2-Mercapto-1,3-benzothiazole (mbztH) may act as a chelating or bridging ligand. In this study, reactions of mbztH with Me3Ga and Me3In were examined. The products were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, melting point, and molecular weight determinations. Formation of mononuclear chelating complexes Me2M(mbzt) (M = Ga, In) was observed in solutions. Crystallization of Me2M(mbzt) yielded uncommon non-symmetrical dinuclear complexes Me4M2(mbzt)2, in which one metal is bonded to two sulfurs and the other to two nitrogens.