Coordination compounds of indium : XIV. The insertion of indium(I) iodide into carbon-iodide bonds

Abstract

Alkylindium(III) diiodides can be conveniently prepared in high yield by the insertion of indium(I) iodide into the CI bond of alkyl iodides. The products are halogen-bridged neutral dimers, except for the methyl compound, which is believed to be [(CH 3) 2In][InI 4 in the solid state. One of the intermediates isolated from the reaction mixture is (CH 3) 2InI 2INI(CH 3); the vibrational spectrum of this compound, and of (CH 3IInI 2INI 2, have been investigated. The mechanism of the initial reaction, and the subsequent rearrangement processes, are discussed.