Synthesis and characterization of some organotin(IV) adducts containing a related series of pyridines: Crystal structure of [SnMe2Cl2(bu2bpy)]

Organotin(IV) complexes of SnR_(4−n)Cl_n] (n = 2, R = Me, ⁿBu; n = 1, R = Ph) react with the bidentate pyridyl ligand 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine (bu₂bpy) to give hexa-coordinated adducts with the general formula SnR_(4−n)Cl_n(bu₂bpy)]. However, the reaction of these organotin(IV) complexes with the corresponding monodentate ligand 4-tert-butylpyridine (bupy) resulted in the formation of the hexa-coordinated complex SnMe₂Cl₂(bupy)₂] and the penta-coordinated complexes SnR_(4−n)Cl_n(bupy)] (n = 2, R = ⁿBu; n = 1, R = Ph). Moreover, the reaction of the above organotin(IV) complexes with 4,4′-trimethylenedipyridine (tmdp) yields hexa-coordinated adducts with the general formula SnR₂Cl₂(tmdp)] (R = Me, ⁿBu) and the penta-coordinated complex ClPh₃Sn-μ-(tmdp)SnPh₃Cl] in the solid state. The resulting complexes have been characterized by multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) spectroscopy and elemental analysis. NMR data shows that the triphenyltin(IV) adducts are not stable in solution and dissociate to give tetra-coordinated tin(IV) complexes. The X-ray crystal structure determination of SnMe₂Cl₂(bu₂bpy)] reveals that the tin atom is hexa-coordinated in an octahedral geometry with a trans-SnMe₂] configuration.