Organotin(IV) azepane dithiocarbamates: Synthesis and characterization of the first organotin(IV) complexes with seven-membered cyclic dithiocarbamates

Abstract

We report the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of the first organotin(IV) complexes with cyclic seven-membered dithiocarbamate ligands: the azepane-1-carbodithioate and the homopiperazine-1,4-bis-carbodithioate with two different organotin entities, di-n-butyltin and tri-cyclohexyltin: [(C₄H₉)₂Sn{S₂CN(CH₂)₆}₂] (3), [(C₆H₁₁)₃Sn{S₂CN(CH₂)₆}] (4), and [(C₆H₁₁)₃Sn}₂ (μ-S₂CN(C₅H₁₀)NCS₂)] (5). Compounds (3–5) are air-stable both in solid-state and in solution, and were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, FAB⁺–MS, and multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹¹⁹Sn) spectroscopy. Their molecular structures were unambiguously established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The geometrical arrangement around the tin atom can be described as distorted octahedral for (3) and distorted trigonal bipyramid for (4) and (5). The coordination mode for both ligands is considered as asymmetric bidentate, as happens in other organotin(IV) dithiocarbamates. Furthermore, (4) and (5) do not exhibit intermolecular secondary interactions, while (3) presents intermolecular interactions between the tin and a sulfur atom with the reciprocally neighboring molecule, giving rise to a zig-zag polymeric structure.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of diorganotin(IV) complexes with pyruvic acid benzoylhydrazone and pyruvic acid salicylhydrazone

Six diorganotin esters of Schiff-base ligands formulated as [R₂SnLY]₂, where L₁ is C₆H₅CON₂C(CH₃)CO₂ with Y?=?CH₃CH₂OH, R?=?mClC₆H₄CH₂ (1), oFC₆H₄CH₂ (2), pFC₆H₄CH₂ (3) and L₂ is 2-HOC₆H₄CON₂C(CH₃)CO₂ with Y?=?CH₃OH, R?=?oFC₆H₄CH₂ (4), pFC₆H₄CH₂ (5), mClC₆H₄CH₂ (6) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectra. The crystal structures of complexes 1 and 4 have been determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The structure analyses reveal that the Sn atom in both 1 and 4 is seven-coordinate in distorted pentagonal bipyramid geometries with a planar SnO₄N unit and two apical aryl carbon atoms, thus forming a dimeric molecule, which sits on a crystallographic center of symmetry. Intramolecular or intradimeric hydrogen bonds contribute to the stability and compactness of the crystal structures.     

有机锡9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯的合成、结构及抗癌活性

合成了3个有机锡9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯:三苯基锡9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯[(C₆H₅)₃Sn(C₁₄H₇O₃)](1)、三环己基锡9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯[(C₆H₁₁)₃Sn(C₁₄H₇O₃)](2)和三(2-甲基-2-苯基丙基)锡9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯[(C₆H₅C(CH₃)₂CH₂)₃Sn(C₁₄H₇O₃)](3)。通过元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振谱(¹H、¹³C和¹¹⁹Sn)、热重分析进行了表征;用单晶X射线衍射方法测定了化合物的晶体结构,并对其进行了量子化学计算和体外抗...     

Polymerization of silicon-containing acetylenes. 5. Polymerization of 1-silyl-1-propynes by TaCl5-based catalysts

Polymerization of homologues of 1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne [CH₃C?CSi(CH₃)₃] was studied. CH₃C?CSi(CH₃)₂(n-C₆H₁₃) ( I ) polymerized with 1 : 1 mixtures of TaCl₅ and organometallic cocatalysts (e.g., Ph₄Sn and Ph₃Bi) to produce in good yields a polymer having a weight-average molecular weight (M _w) over 1 × 10⁶. CH₃C?CSi(CH₃)₂ Ph ( II ) and CH₃C?CSi(C₂H₅)₃ ( III ) formed polymers having M _w's of ～ 5 × 10⁵ in moderate yields in the presence of TaCl₅-based catalysts. In contrast, none of CH₃C?CSi(CH₃)₂(i-C₃H₇), CH₃C? CSi(CH₃)₂(t,-C₄H₉), C₂H₅C?CSi(CH₃)₃, and n,-C₄H₉C?CSi(CH₃)₃ polymerized, which is attributed to the steric effect of the monomers. Some other 1-silyl-1-propynes also failed to polymerize. The three new polymers formed from ( I )–( III ) had the structure \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$\rlap{--} [{\rm CCH}_{\rm 3} \hbox{=\hskip-2pt=} {\rm C(SiRR'R''}\rlap{--} ]_n$\end{document} according to IR and ¹³C-NMR spectra. They were white solids, soluble in low-polarity solvents (e.g., toluene and chloroform) and stable enough in air at room temperature.     

Syntheses,spectroscopic and structural studies of indenyl ruthenium complexes incorporating amine and nitrile ligands: molecular structures of [(η5-C9H7) Ru(η2-dppe)(CH3CN)]PF6 and [(η5-C9H7)Ru(η2-dppe)(NH3)]PF6

The reaction of [(η⁵-C₉H₇)Ru(η²-dppe)Cl] (1) with monodentate nitriles, (L) in the presence of NH₄PF₆ afforded the complexes [(η⁵-C₉H₇)Ru(η²-dppe)(L)]PF₆, with L?=?CH₃CN (2a), CH₃CH=CHCN (2b), NCC₆H₄CN (2c), C₆H₅CH₂CN (2d), respectively. However, reaction of 1 with NH₄PF₆ in methanol yielded an amine complex of the type [(η⁵-C₉H₇) Ru(η²-dppe)(NH₃)]PF₆ (3a). The complexes were fully characterized by spectroscopy and analytical data. The molecular structures of the complexes [(η⁵-C₉H₇)Ru(η²-dppe) (CH₃CN)]PF₆ (2a) and [(η⁵-C₉H₇)Ru(η²-dppe)(NH₃)]PF₆ (3a) have been determined by single crystal X-ray analyses.     

Ferrocene-carboxylate coordination complexes bridged by different N-containing ligands

Six new coordination complexes, [Cd(η ²-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)₂(bix)]₂·(CH₃OH)_0.5 (1), [Zn(η ²-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)(η ¹-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)(bix)]₂·(H₂O)_0.5 (2), [Zn(η ²-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)₂(pbbm)]₂·(CH₃OH)₂ (3), {[Mn(η ¹-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)₂(bbbm)(H₂O)₂]·(CH₃OH)₃}_n (4), {[Cd(η ¹-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)₂(bbbm)]·(CH₃OH)₂}_n (5), and [Cd(η ²-OOCCH=(CH₃)CFc)₂(pmbbm)]_n (6) {Fc?=?(η ⁵-C₅H₄)Fe(η ⁵-C₅H₄), bix?=?1,4[bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene], pbbm?=?1,1′-[(1,4-propanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole], bbbm?=?1,1′-[(1,4-butanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole)], pmbbm?=?1,1′-[(1,4-pentanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole]}, were prepared and characterized. X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that 1–3 are dimers bridged by bix and pbbm. Complexes 4–6 are one-dimensional (1-D) structures bridged by bbbm and pmbbm, respectively. Various π–π interactions were discovered in 1–6 that make significant contributions to molecular self-assembly. Solution differential pulse voltammetry of 1–6 indicates that the half-wave potentials of the ferrocenyl moieties in these complexes shift to positive potential compared with that of 3-ferrocenyl-2-crotonic acid.     

两个苯甲羟肟酸有机锡配合物的合成、结构及抗癌活性

合成了2个苯甲羟肟酸有机锡配合物：[(o-Cl-C₆H₄CH₂)₂Sn (C₆H₅CONO)₂](1)和[(o-CH₃-C₆H₄CH₂)₂Sn (C₆H₅CONO)(C₆H₅COO)](2)。通过元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振氢谱、热重分析、单晶X射线衍射等方法对配合物进行了结构表征,对其结构进行量子化学从头计算和体外抗癌活性研究。结果显示：配合物均为单锡核结构,配合物1为六配位的畸变八面体构型,配合物2为五配位的畸变三角双锥构型;配合物1对人宫颈癌细胞(HeLa)、肝癌细胞(HuH-7)和肺腺癌细胞(H1975)显示出比临床使用的顺铂强的抑制活性,而配合物2的抑制活性要弱得多。     

有机锡9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯的合成、结构及抗癌活性

合成了 3 个有机锡 9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯:三苯基锡 9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯[(C₆H₅)₃Sn(C₁₄H₇O₃)] (1)、三环己基锡 9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯[(C₆H₁₁)₃Sn(C₁₄H₇O₃)] (2)和三(2-甲基-2-苯基丙基)锡 9-芴酮-4-甲酸酯[(C₆H₅C(CH₃)₂CH₂)₃Sn(C₁₄H₇O₃)] (3)。通过元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振谱(¹H、¹³C和 ¹¹⁹Sn)、热重分析进行了表征;用单晶X射线衍射方法测定了化合物的晶体结构,并对其进行了量子化学计算和体外抗癌活性研究。结果显示:化合物1为一维链状结构,中心锡原子为五配位的畸变三角双锥构型;化合物2和3均为单核分子,锡原子均为四配位的畸变四面体构型。化合物对人宫颈癌细(HeLa)、人肝癌细胞(HUH-7)、人非小细胞肺癌细胞(A549)、人肺腺癌细胞(H1975)和人乳腺癌细胞(MCF-7)都有较好的抑制活性。     

Syntheses of (η6-p-cymene)ruthenium(II) piano-stool amine complexes: molecular structure of [(η6-C10H14)RuCl2(H2N-C6H4-p-Cl)]

The dimeric complex [{(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(μ-Cl)Cl}₂] (1) reacts with S,N-donor Schiff base ligands, para-substituted S-(thiophen-2-ylmethylene)phenylamines in methanol to give mononuclear amine complexes of the type [(η⁶-p-cymene)RuCl₂(NH₂–C₆H₄–p-X)] {X?=?H (2a); X?=?CH₃ (2b); X?=?OCH₃ (2c); X?=?Cl (2d); Br (2e) X?=?NO₂ (2f), respectively} by hydrolysis of the imine group of the ligand after coordination to the metal. The complexes were characterized by analysis and IR and NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structure of [(η⁶-C₁₀H₁₄)RuCl₂(H₂N–C₆H₄–p-Cl)] (2d) was established by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study.     

New dimeric, trimeric and supramolecular organotin(IV) dithiocarboxylates: Synthesis, structural characterization and biocidal activities

Some new tri-, chlorodi- and diorganotin(IV) dithiocarboxylates (1–10) of 4-benzylpiperidine-1-carbodithioate ligand (L), with general formulae R₃SnL {R = n-C₄H₉ (1), C₆H₁₁ (2), CH₃ (3) and C₆H₅ (4)}, R₂SnClL {R = n-C₄H₉ (5), C₂H₅ (7), CH₃ (9)} and R₂SnL₂ {R = n-C₄H₉ (6), C₂H₅ (8), CH₃ (10)}, have been synthesized by the reaction of organotin(IV) chlorides with the ligand-salt in the appropriate molar ratio. Elemental analysis, Raman, IR, multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn) and X-ray crystallographic studies have been undertaken to elucidate the structures of the complexes, both in solution and in solid state. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study indicate trimeric, dimeric, supramolecular cyclic and supramolecular zig–zag chain structures for complexes 2, 4, 6 and 9, respectively. Square-pyramidal geometry is attributed to complex 9 on the basis of the τ value (0.4). A subsequent antimicrobial study indicates that the compounds are biologically active.     

Substituted Diorganotin(IV) O,O’-Alkylene Dithiophosphates: Synthesis and Spectral Aspects

Six new substituted diphenyltin(IV) O,O′-alkylene dithiophosphates, (C₆H₅)₂Sn(X)S(S) POGO [G = —CH₂C(CH₃)₂CH₂—, X = Cl (1), SCN (3), ClO₄ (5); G = —CH₂C (C₄H₉)(C₂H₅)CH₂—, X = Cl (2), SCN (4), ClO₄ (6)], were synthesized by the reaction of the corresponding ammonium salts of the O,O’-alkylene dithiophosphates with an appropriate organotin(IV) chloride. The compounds were characterized on the basis of elemental and spectral analyses (ESI mass spectrometry, IR, ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P, and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR). The presence of a four-coordinated Sn atom and monodentate O,O’-alkylene dithiophosphate moiety in compounds 1–4 as well as bidentate O,O’-alkylene dithiophosphate unit in compounds 5,6 is established.     

Syntheses and structural characterization of organotin(IV) complexes derived from reaction of 2,3-diphenylpropionic acid and various alkyltin salts

Five new organotin(IV) complexes, [(R₃Sn)(O₂C₁₅H₁₃)] _n (R?=?Me: 1; nBu: 2), [RSn(O)(O₂C₁₅H₁₃)]₆ (R?=?Ph: 3), [(R₂Sn)₂(O₂C₁₅H₁₃)₂(μ ₃-O)]₂ (R?=?Me: 4), and [(R₂Sn)(O₂C₁₅H₁₃)₂] (R?=?nBu: 5), have been prepared by the reaction of 2,3-diphenylpropionic acid and the corresponding organotin chloride with sodium ethoxide in methanol. All the complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) spectroscopy, TGA, and X-ray crystallography. The structural analyses reveal that 1 and 2 are 1-D infinite polymeric chains with Sn in syn–anti conformation. Complex 3 has a drum structure with six Sn centers. Complex 4 has a supramolecular chain-like ladder through weak intermolecular Sn?···?O interactions. Complex 5 is a monomer, connected into a 1-D polymer through intermolecular C–H?···?O interactions. Complexes 1 and 5 crystallize in the orthorhombic space groups P212121 and P21212, which are chiral space groups.     

Syntheses,crystal structures and biological activity of the dialkytin complexes based on 2-oxo-3-phenylpropionic acid salicyloylhydrazone

Three new dialkytin complexes, {[o-OH–C₆H₄(O)C=N–N=C(CH₂Ph)COO](n-Bu₂Sn)}_n (1), {[o-OH–C₆H₄(O)C=N–N=C(CH₂Ph)COO](MeOH)(p-MeC₆H₅CH₂)₂Sn}₂ (2), and {[o-OH–C₆H₄(O)C=N–N=C(CH₂Ph)COO](EtOH)(C₆H₅CH₂)₂Sn}₂ (3), were synthesized by reactions of 2-oxo-3-phenylpropionic acid salicyloylhydrazone with the corresponding diorganotin(IV) complex, respectively. All the complexes were characterized by IR, ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectra, elemental analysis, X-ray single crystal diffraction and TGA. For in vitro antitumor activities, complexes were evaluated by the MTT assay against three human cancer cell lines (NCI-H460, HepG2 and MCF7) and human cell line (HL7702). The results showed that 1 may be a better potential candidate for further chemical optimization and cancer therapy than 2 and 3. The interactions between the complexes and calf thymus DNA were studied; the interaction of 1 with calf thymus DNA was intercalation, 2 and 3 were intercalation and electrostatic binding.     

Syntheses,characterizations, crystal structures,and in vitro antitumor activities of chiral triorganotin(IV) complexes containing (S)-(+)-2-(4-isobutyl-phenyl)propionic and (R)-(+)-2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propionic acid ligands

Four new chiral triorganotin(IV) carboxylates, [(R₃Sn)(O₂C₁₃H₁₇)] _n (R?=?Me 1, Ph 2), [(R₃Sn)(O₂C₁₃H₁₇)] (R?=?n-Bu 3), and [(R₃Sn)(O₄C₉H₉)] _n (R?=?Me 4), have been synthesized by reaction of (S)-(+)-2-(4-isobutyl-phenyl)propionic acid and (R)-(+)-2-(4hydroxyphenoxy)propionic acid with triorganotin(IV) chloride in the presence of sodium ethoxide. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹¹⁹Sn) spectra, and X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses. Structural analyses show that 1 has a 1-D infinite chiral zigzag chain structure. Complexes 2 and 4 have a 1-D spring-like chiral helical chain with a channel, while 3 is a monomer. Antitumor activities of 1–4 have been studied.     

Reactions of nucleophilic addition of primary amines to the nitrilium derivative of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">closo</Emphasis>-decaborate anion [2-B<Subscript>10</Subscript>H<Subscript>9</Subscript>(N≡CCH<Subscript>3</Subscript>)]<Superscript>−</Superscript>

Compounds (Bu₄N)[2-B₁₀H₉{NH=C(NHR)CH₃}]⁻ are obtained by reactions of the tetrabutylammonium salt of the [2-B₁₀H₉(N≡CCH₃)]⁻ anion with aliphatic and aromatic primary amines RNH₂ (R = n-C₃H₇, n-C₄H₉, cyclo-C₅H₉, C₆H₅, cyclo-C₆H₁₁, n-C₆H₁₃, C₇H₇, C₈H₈NH₂, C₆H₄NO₂, and C₁₈H₃₇) and identified by IR, ESI/MS, and NMR (¹H, ¹¹B, and ¹³C) spectroscopy. The structures of the amidine-type derivatives [2-B₁₀H₉{Z-NH=C(NH-cyclo-C₅H₉)CH₃}]⁻ and [2-B₁₀H₉{Z-NH=C(NH-C₇H₇)CH₃}]⁻ are determined by X-ray diffraction.     

Structural studies of diiron complexes with monophosphine ligands tris(4-chlorophenyl)phosphine or diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine

Four diiron dithiolate complexes with monophosphine ligands have been prepared and structurally characterized. Reactions of (μ-SCH₂CH₂S-μ)Fe₂(CO)₆ or [μ-SCH(CH₃)CH(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₆ with tris(4-chlorophenyl)phosphine or diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine in the presence of Me₃NO·2H₂O afforded diiron pentacarbonyl complexes with monophosphine ligands (μ-SCH₂CH₂S-μ)Fe₂(CO)₅[P(4-C₆H₄Cl)₃] (1), (μ-SCH₂CH₂S-μ)Fe₂(CO)₅[Ph₂P(2-C₅H₄N)] (2), [μ-SCH(CH₃)CH(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₅[P(4-C₆H₄Cl)₃] (3), and [μ-SCH(CH₃)CH(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₅[Ph₂P(2-C₅H₄N)] (4) in good yields. Complexes 1–4 were characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, ³¹P{¹H} NMR and ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the molecular structures of 1–4 were confirmed by X-ray crystallography.     

Syntheses and molecular structures of new ferrocenylacetylide-bridged binuclear cobalt carbonyl cluster compounds

The reaction of ferrocenylacetylide compounds with Co₂(CO)₈ at room temperature affords four complexes bearing ferrocenyl units with approximately tetrahedral (μ-alkyne)dicobalt moieties [R–(C≡C) _n –R′] [Co₂(CO)₆] _{n ′} [R?=?C₅H₅FeC₅H₄-C(CH₃)₂-C₅H₄FeC₅H₄, R′?=?H, n?=?1, n′?=?1 (1); R?=?C₅H₅FeC₅H₄ [ferrocenyl (Fc)], R′?=?–CH=CHCl, n?=?1, n′?=?1 (2); R?=?Fc, R′?=?Fc, n?=?2, n′?=?1 (3), n′?=?2 (4)]. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H(¹³C) NMR, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The X-ray analyses show that coordination of the carbon–carbon triple bond and the dicobalt unit result in the formation of a Co₂C₂ tetrahedral core, and the substituents on the acetylenic units show a distortion from linearity that reflects this coordination mode.     

Five dinuclear iron carbonyl complexes based on substituted tetramethylcyclopentadienyl ligands: synthesis and crystal structures

Thermal treatment of the substituted tetramethylcyclopentadienes [C₅Me₄HR] [R?=?n-propyl (1), i-propyl (2), cyclopentyl (3), cyclohexyl (4), and 4-NMe₂Ph (5)] with Fe(CO)₅ gave five new substituted tetramethylcyclopentadienyl dinuclear iron carbonyl complexes, [η⁵-C₅Me₄CH₂CH₂CH₃]₂Fe₂(CO)₄ (6), [η⁵-C₅Me₄CH(CH₃)₂]₂Fe₂(CO)₄ (7), [η⁵-C₅Me₄CH(CH₂)₄]₂Fe₂(CO)₄ (8), [η⁵-C₅Me₄CH(CH₂)₅]₂Fe₂(CO)₄ (9), and [(η⁵-C₅Me₄)(4-NMe₂Ph)]₂Fe₂(CO)₄ (10). The new complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and ¹H NMR spectra. The molecular structures of 6, 8, 9, and 10 were determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction.     

Synthetic and structural studies of the diiron toluenedithiolate carbonyl complexes with monophosphine ligands

Four diiron toluenedithiolate complexes 2–5 with monophosphine ligands are reported. Treatment of [μ-SC₆H₃(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₆ (1) with tris(3-chlorophenyl)phosphine, tris(4-chlorophenyl)phosphine, tris(4-methylphenyl)phosphine or 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzaldehyde, and Me₃NO?2H₂O in MeCN resulted in the formation of [μ-SC₆H₃(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₅[P(3-C₆H₄Cl)₃] (2), [μ-SC₆H₃(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₅[P(4-C₆H₄Cl)₃] (3), [μ-SC₆H₃(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₅[P(4-C₆H₄CH₃)₃] (4), and [μ-SC₆H₃(CH₃)S-μ]Fe₂(CO)₅[Ph₂P(2-C₆H₄CHO)] (5) in 64–82% yields. Complexes 2–5 have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR, ³¹P{¹H} NMR, ¹³C{¹H} NMR and further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The molecular structures show that 2–5 contain a butterfly diiron toluenedithiolate cluster coordinated by five terminal carbonyls and an apical monophosphine.     

The synthesis,NMR (1H, 13C, 119Sn) and IR spectral studies of some di‐ and tri‐organotin(IV) sulfonates: X‐ray crystal structure of [(n‐C4H9)2Sn(OSO2C6H4CH3‐4)2·2H2O]

A number of alkyltin(IV) paratoluenesulfonates, R_nSn(OSO₂C₆H₄CH₃‐4)_4?n (n = 2, 3; R = C₂H₅, n‐C₃H₇, n‐C₄H₉), have been prepared and IR spectra and solution NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) are reported for these compounds, including (n‐C₄H₉)₂Sn(OSO₂X)₂ (X = CH₃ and CF₃), the NMR spectra of which have not been reported previously. From the chemical shift δ(¹¹⁹Sn) and the coupling constants ¹J(¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) and ²J(¹H, ¹¹⁹Sn), the coordination of the tin atom and the geometry of its coordination sphere in solutions of these compounds is suggested. IR spectra of the compounds are very similar to that observed for the paratoluenesulfonate anion in its sodium salt. The studies indicate that diorganotin(IV) paratoluenesulfonates, and the previously reported compounds (n‐C₄H₉)₂Sn(OSO₂X)₂ (X = CH₃ and CF₃), contain bridging SO₃X groups that yield polymeric structures with hexacoordination around tin and contain non‐linear C? Sn? C bonds. In triorganotin(IV) sulfonates, pentacoordination for tin with a planar SnC₃ skeleton and bidentate bridging paratoluenesulfonate anionic groups are suggested by IR and NMR spectral studies. The X‐ray structure shows [(n‐C₄H₉)₂Sn(OSO₂C₆H₄CH₃‐4)₂·2H₂O] to be monomeric containing six‐coordinate tin and crystallizes from methanol–chloroform in monoclinic space group C2/c. The Sn? O (paratoluenesulfonate) bond distance (2.26(2) Å) is indicative of a relatively high degree of ionic character in the metal–anion bonds. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.