Synthesis and study of organometallic complexes of octaphenyltetraazaporphyrinatoindium(iii)

Five-coordinate organometallic complexes RIn(TAPPh₈) (R = Ph, Bu) were synthesized by the reactions of chloro(octaphenyltetraazaporphyrinato)indium(iii) ClIn(TAPPh₈) with organolithium and organomagnesium compounds. The optical, IR, and ¹H NMR spectra of the complexes were studied. In the presence of pyridine, the photochemical insertion of CO₂ occurs at the In—C bond to form the carboxylate complexes (RCOO)In(TAPPh₈). A study of the kinetics of this reaction showed a higher stability of the In—C bond in the aryl PhIn(TAPPh₈) complex than that in the alkyl complex BuIn(TAPPh₈). The mechanism of the reaction was proposed.