The crystal and molecular structure of cyclopentadienyltin(II) chloride. The bonding of the cyclopentadienyl group in tin(II) compounds

The crystal and molecular structure of cyclopentadienyltin(II) chloride has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray data. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pc2₁n. The unit cell, of dimensions a = 5.711(5), b = 6.225(5), c = 17.24(2) Å, contains four molecules. The structure has been refined by full matrix least squares techniques to a final R value of 0.083 for 717 independent reflections. In the crystal unsymmetrical tin-chlorine bridges are present between the units of C₅H₅SnCl.It is suggested that in cyclopentadienyltin(II) compounds the cyclopentadienyl group occupies more than one coordination site as a result of the donation of π electron density from the cyclopentadienyl ring into an empty acceptor orbital of the tin atom having π symmetry.