Imidazolium formation from the reaction of N-heterocyclic carbene stabilised group 13 trihydride complexes with organic acids

Stoichiometric reaction of NHC stabilised aluminium trihydride species with 3.0 equivalents of phenol generates imidazolium tetraphenoxyaluminate species. Reaction of [InH3(IMes)] (IMes = CN(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)C2H2N(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)) with 1.0 equivalent of 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentan-2,4-dione renders [IMes · H][CH{C(O)CF3}2]with immediate indium trihydride decomposition. The molecular structures of two imidazolium species are discussed.