Coordination derivatives and reactions of dichloropentafluorophenylindium

The complexes C₆F₅InCl₂, L [L = N, N, N’, N’-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmed), 2,2'-bipyridyl (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2':6',2'- terpyridyl (tpy) or (Ph₂PCH₂)₂] have been prepared by reaction of C₆F₅InCl₂, diox (diox = 1,4-dioxan) with the appropriate ligands, and are considered to contain five-coordinate indium on the basis of indium- chlorine stretching frequencies. Monomeric structures are likely for all complexes except C₆F₅InCl₂, tmed, which is dimeric with bridging tmed. Atmospheric moisture converts C₆F₅InCl₂, L (L = phen or tpy) into monohydrates, in which water is not coordinated. Reaction of C₆F₅InCl₂, diox with pyridine, triphenylphosphine and dimethyl sulphoxide causes quantitative rearrangement into the corresponding indium trichloride and tris-pentafluorophenylindium complexes. The derivatives (C₆F₅)_nIn(ox)_3-n(n = 1 or 2; ox = quinolin-8-olate) have been prepared by cleavage of (C₆F₅)₃In, diox with quinolin-8-ol, and C₆F₅In(ox)₂ has also been obtained from C₆F₅InCl₂, diox and thallous quinolin-8-olate.