Crystal structure of triphenyltin fluoride

Abstract

Triphenyltin fluoride has been studied by powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Powder studies show that the polymeric chain of SnPh₃F propagates along the c axis with a repeat distance of ca. 4.29 Å. The colourless crystals are trigonal, space group Pc1 (no. 165), with a= 10.358(1), c= 8.583(1)Å and Z= 2. The F atom lies at an inversion centre, giving rise to a crystallographically imposed rod (class 1) polymer with identical Sn–F distances of 2.1458(3)Å. X-Ray powder diffraction and variable-temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy fail to distinguish between rod (class 1) and zigzag (class 2) triorganotin(IV) polymers.