Microwave-assisted synthesis of In(SPh)3 and its use as precursor for the self-assembly of two new one-dimensional indium thiolate-dipyridyl compounds

Tris(benzenethiolato)indium(III) (In(SPh)3) has been facilely prepared in high yield of 95.0% by a microwave-assisted solvothermal reaction of indium and diphenyl disulphide in methanol in 15 min. The combination of In(SPh)3 as precursor with dipyridyl ligands of bipy (bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine) and dpp (dpp = 1,3-di(4-pyridyl)propane) in methanol at ambient conditions yielded two new compounds, namely In(SPh)3(bipy) (1) and In(SPh)3(dpp) (2), respectively. Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies reveal that in both the structures, the five-coordinated In(III) ions in nearly perfect trigonal–bipyramidal geometry are interconnected by the bifunctional dipyridyl ligands to form one-dimensional chains. Their thermal properties have been investigated.