Dihalogen–halogenomethyl complexes of indium(III) X2InCH2X (X = Br, I): Simultaneous coordination of soft and hard ligands

Halogenomethyl–dihalogen–indium(III) compounds X2InCH2X (X = Br, I) obtained from indium monohalides and methylene dihalides were reacted with the soft donor ligands dialkylsulfides, R2S (R = CH3, CH2Ph) to afford the corresponding dialkylsulfonium methylide complexes of InX3, X3InCH2SR2 (X = Br, R = CH3, 1; X = I, R = CH3, 2; X= I, R = CH2Ph, 3). Compound 1 was reacted with the hard donor ligands dimethylsulfoxide or triphenylphosphine oxide to give the corresponding 1:1 adduct, Br3(L)InCH2S(CH3)2 (L = (CH3)2SO, 4; L = (C6H5)3PO, 5). Compounds 1–5 were fully characterized in solution by NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray methods.

Graphical abstractThe reaction of halogenomethyl–dihalogen–indium(III) compounds X2InCH2X (X = Br, I) with dialkylsulfides, R2S opened the facile access to dialkylsulfonium methylide complexes of InX3 of general structure X3(L)InCH2SR2 (L = (CH3)2SO, (C6H5)3PO).Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide