INDIUM(III) BROMIDE

Off-white to greenish powder

"Indium(III) bromide is used in organic synthesis as a water tolerant Lewis acid.It efficiently catalyzes the three-component coupling of β-keto esters, aldehydes and urea (or thiourea) to afford the corresponding dihydropyrimidinones. It is used as a catalyst to produce dithioacetals when unactivated alkynes react with thiols and fields such as optics and microelectronics that utilize semiconductor technology have wide uses for indium in high-performing solar cells."

Regio-, chemo-, and stereoselective Lewis acid catalyst in organic synthesis.

According to Thiel, metallic In is heated in a fast air-free stream of CO2, which is saturated with Br2 vapor by passage through a wash bottle containing Br2 (the bottle should be placed in a warm water bath). A melt of InBr and InBr3 forms first. This melt is brown at first, but gradually becomes lighter. Finally it turns to solid InBr3. The latter can be readily sublimed to form lustrous crystalline spangles.