X-ray diffraction study of the bonding between sulphur and the elements of group IVB. The crystal and molecular structures of methylthiotriphenyl-methane, -silicon, -germanium, -tin and -lead

The X-ray analyses of the compounds methylthiotriphenyl-methane, -silicon, -germanium, -tin, and -lead were undertaken to see if the electronic interactions which affect the X-S bond could influence the molecular geometries. The five structures were solved or by direct methods or by Patterson and Fourier techniques and refined anisotropically to R = 0.053, 0.036, 0.031, 0.041, and 0.070 respectively. The central atom exhibits a distorted tetrahedral coordination; only the propeller shape orientation of the phenyl rings seems to be determined by differences in the electronic nature of the central atoms as well as by steric effects.