Two triorganostannate complexes synthesised from bis(cyclopentadienyl)tin(II); structural variation between [Mg(thf)6]2+2[Sn(η3-C5H5)3]– and [Li(thf)4]+[Sn(C13H9)3]–(thf = tetrahydrofuran, C13H9= fluorenyl)

Abstract

Nucleophilic addition of Mg(C₅H₅)₂ to Sn(C₅H₅)₂(1 : 2) in tetrahydrofuran (thf) gave [Mg(thf)₆]²⁺ 2[Sn(η³-C₅H₅)₃]₂1 whereas the reaction of fluorenyllithium (2 or 3 equivalents) resulted in nucleophilic substitution of both C₅H₅ ligands and in the formation of [Li(thf)₄]⁺[Sn(C₁₃H₉)₃]^–2; the anion of 1 is essentially planar whereas that in 2 has a distorted-pyramidal structure.