The First Butyltin(IV) Homo- and Heterobimetallic Diethanolaminates

Equimolar reactions of BuSn(OPrⁱ)₃ with diethanolamines, RN(CH₂CH₂ OH) ₂ (abbreviated as RdeaH₂, where R = H or Me), afford dimeric isopropoxo-bridged six-coordinate butyltin(IV) complexes {Bu(η³-Rdea)Sn(μ-OPrⁱ)}₂] (R = H ( 1 ), Me ( 2 )). Interactions between BuSn(OPrⁱ)₃ and diethanolamines (RdeaH₂) in a 1:2 molar ratio yield monomeric derivatives of the type BuSn(Rdea)(RdeaH)] (R = H ( 3 ), R = Me ( 4 )). These homometallic complexes on 1:1 reactions with an appropriate metal alkoxide form monomeric heterobimetallic complexes of the type BuSn (Rdea)₂ {M(OR′)_n}] (R = H, M = Al, R′ = Prⁱ, n = 2 ( 5 ); R = H, M = Ti, R = Prⁱ, n = 3 ( 6 ); R = H, M = Zr, R′ = Prⁱ, n = 3 ( 7 ); R = Me, M = Al, R′ = Prⁱ, n = 2 ( 8 ); R = Me, M = Ti, R′ = Prⁱ, n = 3 ( 9 ); R = Me, M = Ge, R′ = Et, n = 3 ( 10 )). The driving force behind this work was (i) to explore the utility of homometal complexes ( 1 ) –( 4 ) in assembling a metal alkoxide fragment via a condensation reaction and (ii) to gain insights into the structures of new compounds by NMR spectral data. All of these derivatives have been characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic (IR, NMR; ¹H, ²⁷Al, and ¹¹⁹Sn) studies, and molecular weight measurements. ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectral studies indicate that both the homometallic ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) and heterobimetallic ( 5 ) – ( 9 ) complexes exist in a solution in an equilibrium of six- and five-coordinated tin(IV) species.