Synthesis and structural characterization of tin analogues of N-heterocyclic carbenes

The synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of five N-heterocyclic stannylenes are reported. These compounds, containing a variety of backbones, were prepared by the salt metathesis of the appropriate dilithiated diamide with SnCl(2) and show a high degree of thermal stability compared to the corresponding species with unsaturated backbones. If bulky diisopropylphenyl groups are attached to the nitrogen centers then the structures are monomeric, but when the less bulky mesityl groups are employed the solid-state structure was shown to be dimeric.