Synthesis and structure of tri- and octaindium compounds.

The reactions of InCp* with alkali metal silanides M(thf)(n)SiRPh(2) (R = Me, Ph) resulted in the triindanate [(Ph(3)Si)(3)In-In-In(SiPh(3))](-) with a linear arrangement of In atoms and the octaindium clusters [(In(8)(SiPh(3))(8)](m-) (m = 0, 2) amongst others, which were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The neutral cluster has a bisphenoidal core similar to that of B(8)Cl(8), whilst the anionic one adopts a distorted square antiprismatic structure. In addition, the tri- and octaindium compounds were studied by DFT calculations.