A voltammetric study of some tris(trimethylsilyl)-methyltin derivatives

Classical d.c. polarography, supplemented by other voltammetric techniques, is used to elucidate the mechanism of reduction of di- and tri-halide derivatives of tris(trimethylsilyl) methyltm, despite the difficulties encountered in work at very negative potentials in ethanolic solutions. The dihalides are reduced in two irreversible one-electron steps; the trihalides are reduced in three one-electron steps, the first of which is quasi-reversible, the other two being irreversible. The first step in each case is adsorption-controlled while the others are diffusion-controlled. D.c. polarography is suitable for the determination of these compounds down to 5 × lO^-5 M.