Triple-decker main group cations

The syntheses of the first main group triple-decker cations are described, namely, [(eta (5)-C5Me5)Sn(mu-eta (5)-C5Me5)Sn(eta (5)-C5Me5)][Ga(C6F5)(4)] and [(eta (6)-C7H8)In(mu-eta (5)-C5Me5)In(eta (6)-C7H8)][(C6F5)(3)BO(H)B(C6F5)(3)], both of which have been characterized by X-ray crystallography; the former was prepared by the reaction of Sn(eta (5)-C5Me5)(2) with Ga(C6F5)(3), while the latter was prepared by treatment of [In(eta (5)-C5Me5)](6) with an equimolar mixture of B(C6F5)(3) and H2O .B(C6F5)(3).