{Sn9[Si(SiMe3)3]3}− and {Sn8Si[Si(SiMe3)3]3}−: Variations of the E9 Cage of Metalloid Group 14 Clusters

The disproportionation reaction of the subvalent metastable halide SnBr proved to be a powerful synthetic method for the synthesis of metalloid cluster compounds of tin. Hence, the neutral metalloid cluster compound Sn10[Si­(SiMe3)3]6 (3) was synthesized from the reaction of SnBr with LiSi­(SiMe3)3. In the course of the reaction anionic clusters might also be present, and we now present the first anionic cluster compound {Sn8E­[Si­(SiMe3)3]3}− (E = Si, Sn), where one position in the cluster core is occupied by a silicon or a tin atom, giving further insight into structural variations of E9 cages in metalloid group 14 cluster compounds.