Radical reactions initiated by the photochemical cleavage of carbon–indium bonds of organoindium compounds

Intra- and intermolecular reactions of carbon-centered radicals generated by photolysis of organoindium compounds were examined. The photolysis of vinylindium compounds and indium acetylides provided vinyl and alkynyl radicals, respectively, which were trapped with ethyl iodoacetate giving the corresponding β,γ-unsaturated esters. Allylic indium compounds, prepared from 8-bromo- or 8-iodooct-1,6-dienes and powdered indium metal, underwent an intramolecular radical cyclization to afford the 5-exo-trig product.