Synthesis and structural characterisation of the complex mer-[{Rh(CNC8H9)3(SnCl3)(µ-SnCl2)}2]

Abstract

Compound mer-[{Rh(CNC₈H₉)₃(SnCl₃)(µ-SnCl₂)}₂]1 has been isolated from the reaction of [Rh(CNC₈H₉)₃Cl](CNC₈H₉= 2,6-xylyl isocyanide) with 2 mol of tin(II) chloride and its molecular structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray techniques. Compound 1 crystallises in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a= 14.005(3), b= 12.796(4), c= 19.389(3)Å, β= 104.96(2)° and Z= 2. The structure of 1 consists of two edge-sharing octahedral rhodium centres linked by two bridging SnCl₂ groups. One terminal SnCl₃ group and three isocyanide ligands, arranged in mer fashion, complete the co-ordination geometry about each rhodium atom. Tin-119 Mössbauer spectroscopy has been used to investigate the nature of the rhodium–tin bonding interaction in 1.