Synthesis and characterisation of twelve Sn(IV) diaryls and formation of a Sn(III) triaryl.

Ten new crystalline compounds of formula (i) [{Sn(Ar(N2))(2)(micro-E)}(2)] [E = O (), S (), Se (), Te ()], (ii) [Sn(Ar(N2))(2)(ER)(2)] [ER = SCH(2)Ph (), SePh (), TePh ()], (iii) [Sn(Ar(N2))(2)(Br)R] [R = CH(SiMe(3))(2) (), Bu(t) ()] and (iv) [Sn(Ar(N2))(2){CH(SiMe(3))(2)}][BPh(4)] [Ar(N2) = C(6)H(3)(NMe(2))(2)-2,6 ()] have been prepared and identified by microanalysis, EI-mass spectrometry and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and for , , , and by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Whereas in the solid state, each of the latter five has only one of its two NMe(2) substituents of each [Ar(N2)](-) ligand close to the tin atom (<3.1 A), in solution at ambient temperature the NMe(2) groups are characterised by a single (1)H and (13)C signal. The known compounds [Sn(Ar(N2))(2)(NCE)(2)] [E = O (), S ()] were synthesised by a new route: the redox reaction between [Sn(Ar(N2))(2)] () and 2AgNCE. Irradiation of a toluene solution of at 298 K afforded a persistent radical assigned as [ Sn(Ar(N2))(3)] ().