Preparation and structural studies on dibutyltin(IV) complexes with pyridine mono- and dicarboxylic acids

A number of organotin(IV) complexes with pyridine mono- and dicarboxylic acids (containing ligating –COOH group(s) and aromatic {N} atoms) were prepared in the solid state. The bonding sites of the ligands were determined by means of FT-IR spectroscopic measurements. It was found that in most cases the –COO− groups form bridges between two central {Sn} atoms, thereby leading to polymeric (oligomeric) complexes. On this basis, the experimental 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopic data were treated with partial quadrupole splitting approximations. The calculations predicted the existence of complexes with octahedral (oh) and trigonal-bipyramidal (tbp) structures, but the formation of complexes with pentagonal-bipyramidal (pbp) structures could not be ruled out. Single-crystals of 2-picolinic and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid Bu2Sn(IV)2+ complexes were obtained. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the central {Sn} atoms are in a pbp environment with bond distances characteristic of organotin(IV) compounds. The two butyl groups are located in axial positions. 119Sn NMR measurements in dmso solution and in the solid state indicated that the polymeric structures of the complexes are not retained in solution. The results of the solid-state 119Sn NMR measurements for compounds 1a, 2a and 6a are in agreement with the structures predicted by Mössbauer spectroscopy and revealed by X-ray diffraction.