A series of organometallic trialkylphosphine-stabilized copper gallium phenylchalcogenolate complexes [(R3P)(m)CunMe2-xGa(EPh)(n+x+1)] (R = Me, Et, Pr-i, Bu-t; E = S, Se, Te; x = 0, 1) has been prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. From their molecular structures three groups of compounds can be distinguished: ionic compounds, ring systems, and cage structures. All these complexes contain one gallium atom bound to one or two methyl groups, whereas the number of copper atoms, and therefore the nuclearity of the complexes, is variable and depends mainly on size and amount of phosphine ligand used in synthesis. The Ga-E bonds are relatively rigid, in contrast to flexible Cu-E bonds. The lengths of the latter are controlled by the coordination number and steric influences. The Ga-E bond lengths depend systematically on the number of methyl groups bound to the gallium atom, with somewhat shorter bonds in monomethyl compounds compared to dimethyl compounds. Quantum chemical computations reproduce this trend and show furthermore that the rotation of one phenyl group around the Ga-E bond is a low energy process with two distinct minima, corresponding to two different conformations found experimentally. Mixtures of different types, of chalcogen atoms on molecular scale are possible, and then ligand exchange reactions in solution lead to mixed site occupation. In thermogravimetric studies the complexes were converted into the ternary semiconductors CuGaE2. The thermolysis reaction is completed at temperatures between 250 and 400 degrees C, typically with lower temperatures for the heavier chalcogens. Because of significant release of Me3Ga during the thermolysis process, and especially in case of copper excess in the precursor complexes, binary copper chalcogenides are obtained as additional thermolysis products. Quaternary semiconductors can be obtained from mixed chalcogen precursors.