Studies of the reaction of dimethyltin dichloride with mercaptoacetic acid in the presence of amines and crystal structure of [(n-Pr)3NH][Me2Sn(μ-SCH2COO)Cl]

A series of new five-coordinated ionic organotin(IV) complexes with general formula Q]Me₂Sn(μ²-SCH₂COO)Cl](Q = diethylammonium, triethylammonium, di-i-propylammonium, tripropylammonium, tri-n-butylammonium, pyrimidium, 3-picolinium, methylphenylammonium, dimethylphenylammonium) were synthesized by the reaction of mercaptoacetic acid with dimethyltin dichloride in the presence of an organic base. These complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopies. The crystal structure of (n-Pr)₃NH]Me₂Sn(μ²-SCH₂COO)Cl] was determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure consists of an anion part, and a tri-n-propylammonium cation part as a counterion. The tin atom has a distorted cis-tbp geometry with two carbon and one sulfur atoms occupying the equatorial positions and the O atom and Cl atom occupying the axial positions. The organotin anion and its counterion are connected through a hydrogen bond between the N atom in the ammonium and the O atom of the carbonyl group with a N-O length of 2.766 Å.