Synthesis of the first examples of stable heterometallic isopropoxides of an organometallic RSn(IV) moiety

Five-, six-, and seven-coordinate volatile butyltin(IV) heterobimetallic derivatives, respectively of the types, BuSn{(μ-OPrⁱ)₂Al(OPrⁱ)₂}Cl₂] (1), BuSn{(μ-OPrⁱ)₂Al(OPrⁱ)₂}₂Cl] (2), and BuSn{(μ-OPrⁱ)₂M(OPrⁱ)_x − 2}₃ (3:M = Al (x = 4); 4:M = Ga (x = 4); 5:M = Nb (x = 6)) have been synthesized by the reactions of BuSnCl₃ with potassium tetraisopropoxoaluminate in 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 molar ratios. Replacement reactions of chloride in (1) and (2) with appropriate alkoxometallate (tetraisopropoxoaluminate, tetraisopropoxogallate, or hexaisopropoxoniobate) ligands result in the formation of novel BuSn(IV) heterotri- and tetra-metallic derivatives. All of these derivatives have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight measurements, and spectroscopic (IR, ¹H, ²⁷Al, and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR) studies. Based on these studies, plausible structures for the new derivatives involving bidentate ligation of the alkoxometallate ligands have been suggested.