Organoindium compounds: I. Preparative routes to pentafluorophenylindium compounds

Trispentafluorophenylindium has been prepared by heating iodopentafluoro-benzene with an excess of indium metal, but was obtained mixed with iodobispenta-fluorophenylindium when the stoicheiometric amount was used. An attempted synthesis by thermal decomposition of indium trispentafluorobenzoate was unsuccessful. Reaction of indium with bispentafluorophenylmercury and subsequent treatment with ether gave (C₆F₅)₃In, OEt₂. The complex (C₆F₅)₃In, diox (diox = 1, 4-dioxan) has been obtained by reaction of indium trichloride with pentafluorophenyl-magnesium chloride or with an excess of bispentafluorophenylmagnesium, and C₆F₅InCl₂, diox from bispentafluorophenylmagnesium and an excess of indium trichloride.