Reactions of some main group metals with diphenyl disulphide and diphenyl diselenide

Abstract

Indium reacts with both Ph₂S₂ and Ph₂Se₂ in refluxing toluene to give the compounds In(EPh)₃(E = S or Se) in high yield. Under similar conditions tin gives Sn(EPh)₄. Thallium reacts with Ph₂Se₂ to form TI(SePh), but does not react with Ph₂S₂. Neither zinc nor gallium reacts with Ph₂S₂ or Ph₂Se₂. With mixtures of Ph₂E₂ and I₂, indium yields the previously unreported InI(EPh)₂ compounds. The reactions of In(SePh)₃ are those of a typical indium(III) Lewis acid. Possible factors affecting the reactions of metals with Ph₂S₂ or Ph₂Se₂ are briefly discussed.