Formation of a reversible, intramolecular main-group metal-CO2 adduct

The P,P-chelated stannylene (i-Pr(2)P)(2)N](2)Sn takes up 2 equiv of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) to form an unusual product in which CO(2) binds to the Sn and P atoms, thus forming a six-membered ring complex. Gentle heating of the solid product releases CO(2), indicating that CO(2) is bound as an adduct to the main-group complex. The groups bound to the CO(2) fragment are not particularly sterically crowded or highly acidic, thus indicating that "frustrated" Lewis acid-base pairs are not required in the binding of CO(2) to main-group elements.