MIXED OXYDIETHANETHIOLATE DITHIOPHOSPHATE COMPLEXES OF INDIUM(III)/

Treatment of indium(lll) chloride with the sodium salt of 2,2'-oxydiet hanethiol (2-mercaptoethyl ether) and ammonium dialkyldithiophosphates in a 1:1 molar ratio in benzene solution afforded [In{S2P(OR)(2)}{(SC H2CH2)(2)O}](2) (1) [R = Et (1a), nPr (1b), iPr (1c)]. The crystal str ucture of la shows a dimeric complex with two indium atoms being bridg ed by two sulfur atoms. Each oxydiethanethiolate dianion is tetradenta te, coordinating one indium centre via the ether oxygen atom and the t wo thiolate sulfur atoms. One of the sulphur atoms also binds the seco nd indium atom of the dimeric unit. The remaining sites in the indium geometry are occupied by sulfur atoms derived from a chelating dithiop hosphate ligand. The sulfur bridges in 1 can be cleaved by neutral don or ligands such as pyridine and 2,2'-bipyridine to yield mononuclear c omplexes.