Reactions of trimethylindium with primary alcohols

InMe3 was treated with EtOH in boiling THF while (PrOH)-Pr-n, (BuOH)-Bu-n and (BuOH)-Bu-i were reacted with InMe3 in boiling toluene. With EtOH the decanuclear complex [(MeIn)(10)(O)(2)(OEt)(12)(OH)(4)]center dot 2THF (1) was isolated. (PrOH)-Pr-n, (BuOH)-Bu-n and (BuOH)-Bu-i lead to the pentanuclear complexes [(MeIn)(5)(O)(OR)(8)] (2-4). 1-4 were characterized by NMR and vibrational spectroscopy as well as by X-ray structure determinations. According to this 1 consits of two O-centered single-decapitated rhombic dodecahedrons In5O9, bridged by four mu(3)-OH functions, which are part of the In5O9 cages. The two THF molecules are linked by hydrogen bonding to OH groups. In 2-4 always O-centered single-decapitated rhombic dodecahedrons In5O9 are present. The structures of 2 and 3 show disorder of the In5O6 cages, in which the sixth empty In position of the rhombic dodecahedron is partly occupied by one of the other five In positions. Therefore, the occupation parameter of every In position is 5/6. In 4 the empty sixth position is occupied partly by the opposite In atom In3. This means an occupation parameter of 0.5 of In3.