Novel hexamercaptotin: synthesis and characterization of [N(CH3)4]2Sn(SH)6 and [N(C2H5)4]2Sn(SH)6 complexes

Mercaptotin complexes are difficult to synthesize since they are usually transient intermediates. Here, we report the synthesis and crystal structure of two examples of stable hexamercaptotin complexes [N(CH3)4]2Sn(SH)6 (1) and [N(C2H5)4]2Sn(SH)6 (2), and discuss their stability by use of quantum chemistry method. Both the complexes 1 and 2 were obtained by hydrothermal synthesis and were crystallized in monoclinic space group, C2/m, Z=8, a=25.724(8), b=18.183(6), c=9.097(3) for 1, and C2/c, Z=4, a=14.0733(14), b=14.4018(14), c=13.2538(13) for 2. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the Sn(IV) centers of 1 and 2 are octahedrally coordinated to six [SH]− ligands and all of the six hydrosulfuryl groups are located in terminal positions. The computational results of quantum chemistry method show that highly symmetric coordination of [SH]− ligands can be effective in stabilizing stannanethiols entities.