Directed Formation of a Ferrocenyl-Decorated Organotin Sulfide Complex and Its Controlled Degradation

Attachment of ferrocenyl (Fc) units to an organo-functionalized precursor yielded the Fc-decorated complex [(RFcSn)4Sn6S10] [1; RFc = CMe2CH2C­(Me)N–NC­(Me)­Fc], which shows different ligand dynamics in solution than in the solid state, as confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. The addition of different amounts of hydrochloric acid to a solution of 1 produced the derivatives [(RFcSnCl2)2S] (2) and [RFcSnCl3·HCl] (3), the latter of which acts as a precursor to the formation/recovery of 2 or 1, respectively.