Nuclear quadrupole resonance investigation of the comparative differences between hexachloro-stannate, -tellurate, and -plumbate resulting from cationic effects

Abstract

N.q.r. frequencies of 14 salts of SnCl₆^2–, TeCl₆^2–, and PbCl₆^2– have been recorded in an effort to observe possible differences in anion distortion which could result from the ‘inert’ pair electrons of Te^IV. There is no evidence of stereochemical activity of the Te^IV‘inert’ pair as might be indicated by an increase in the number of chlorine resonance frequencies and/or anomalous changes in bond ionicity in any of the compounds studied. PbCl₆^2– appears to be more sensitive to the cation than SnCl₆^2– but the TeCl₆^2– ion is less sensitive. It is concluded that anion sensitivity to the cation is not readily predictable on the basis of the size alone.