The crystal and molecular structure of cyclopentadienyltin(II) chloride. The bonding of the cyclopentadienyl group in tin(II) compounds

Abstract

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of cyclopentadienyltin(II) chloride has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray data. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pc21n. The unit cell, of dimensions a = 5.711(5), b = 6.225(5), c = 17.24(2) Å, contains four molecules. The structure has been refined by full matrix least squares techniques to a final R value of 0.083 for 717 independent reflections. In the crystal unsymmetrical tin-chlorine bridges are present between the units of C5H5SnCl.

It is suggested that in cyclopentadienyltin(II) compounds the cyclopentadienyl group occupies more than one coordination site as a result of the donation of π electron density from the cyclopentadienyl ring into an empty acceptor orbital of the tin atom having π symmetry.