Abstract: | The behaviour of tetraarylstannanes, R4Sn (R = C6H5CH2, C6H5, o-, m-, p-CH3C6H4), towards SO2 under various conditions has now been studied in detail. Compared to aliphatic tetraorganostannanes, the variability of the reaction products is much less, so that in nearly all cases only disulfinates, R2Sn(O2SR)2, are formed. The aromatic tin(IV) mono-, di- and tri-sulfinates are also obtained by metathetical reaction between the corresponding organotin halides and sodium sulfinates. A unique feature of triaryltin chlorides, R3SnCl (R = C6H5, o-, m-, p-CH3C6H4), is their disproportionation in liquid SO2 leading to disulfinates, R2Sn(O2SR)2, and dichlorides, R2SnCl2. (p-CH3C6H4)2SnCl2, under more efficient conditions, also accepts SO2 forming (p-CH3C6H4SO2)2SnCl2. The structural investigations of the newly prepared compounds are carried out on the basis of their IR and 1H NMR spectra. |