Crystal structure of bis-{μ-(E)-2-[(2-oxido-phenyl-imino)-meth-yl]quinolin-8-olato-κ4O,N,N',O'}bis-[di-butyl-tin(IV)].

Condensation of 8-hy-droxy-quinoline-2-carbaldehyde with 2-amino-phenol gave the (E)-2-[(2-hy-droxy-phenyl-imino)-meth-yl]quinolin-8-ol derivative that reacted with di-n-butyl-tin oxide with release of H2O to yield the chelate title complex, [Sn2(C4H9)4(C16H10N2O2)2]. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1, with two independent centrosymmetric dimers in the unit cell. Each features a typical pincer-type structure where the dianionic ligand is tetra-dentate, coordinating to the central tin atom through both phenolate oxygen atoms, as well as through the quinoline and imine N atoms. Each metal atom adopts a distorted penta-gonal-bipyramidal SnC2N2O3 coordination arising from the N,N',O,O'-tetra-dentate deprotonated Schiff base, one bridging phenolate O atom of the neighbouring ligand and two butyl groups in the axial sites.