Syntheses and Structural Characterization of a Monomeric Tin(II) Diamide and a Novel Chlorotin(II) Amide Trimer

We have found that addition of a 2:1 ratio of the bulky ligand Li[N(mesityl)(SiMe3)] to SnCl2 yields Sn[N(mesityl)(SiMe3)]2, which is found by X-ray crystallography to be monomeric in the solid state. Interestingly, the solid state structure of the stannylene exhibits a “minipocket” caused by the parallel arrangement of the phenyl rings. A 1:1 ratio of ligand to SnCl2 affords the new chlorotin amide {Sn(μ-Cl)[N(mesityl)(SiMe3)]}3, which adopts a unique trimeric structure in the solid state. The chairlike (Sn−Cl)3 backbone shown here has not been seen previously in Sn−halide chemistry.