Toward cationic gallium formazanate Lewis superacids.

Lewis superacids are a subclass of Lewis acids that garner attention for their high reactivity. We report gallium complexes supported by tetradentate formazanate ligands. Fluoride ion affinity calculations of the implicated four-coordinate cationic gallium formazanate cores revealed strong Lewis acidity, establishing a foundation for the development of gallium-based Lewis superacids.