The synthesis and structural characterization of a charge transfer complex of iodine and indole trimer

Indole electrooxidation using iodine as supporting electrolyte yields sheaves of very thin black needles identified as a charge transfer complex of iodine and an indole trimer, X-ray diffraction studies on this material allows us univocally to propose a reliable crystal model in which a disorder involving both I-3(-) residues and organic molecules is evidenced, The structure consists of stacked molecules of indole trimers (cations) and columns of iodines (anions).