Transmetalation Of Aqueous Inorganic Clusters: A Useful Route To The Synthesis Of Heterometallic Aluminum And Indium Hydroxo-Aquo Clusters

[AlxIny(mu(3)-OH)(6)(mu-OH)(18)(H2O)(24)](NO3)(15) hydroxy-aquo clusters (AlxIn13-x) are synthesized through the evaporation of stoichiometrically varied solutions of Al-13 and In(NO3)(3) using a transmetalation reaction. Several spectroscopic techniques (H-1 NMR, H-1-diffusion ordered spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and Raman) are used to compare AlxIn13-x to its Al-13 counterpart. A thin film of aluminum indium oxide was prepared from an Al7In6 duster ink, showing its utility as a precursor for materials.