Reactions of InMe3 with isocyanides in the presence of amines: chemical and mass spectrometric evidence of unprecedented insertion into InN bonds

InMe3 reacts with CNR (RC6H4-p-OMe, C6H4-p-Me) affording the corresponding adducts Me3InCNR, which are formed even in the presence of an excess of CNR. Me3InCNR reacts with pyrrolidine to give the [Me2InC(NR)(Pyrr)] products [Pyrr=conjugated base of pyrrolidine], which form through the insertion of CNR into the InNPyrr bond. These insertion products decompose easily to give the corresponding formamidines.