Studies of the reaction of dimethyltin dichloride with mercaptoacetic acid in the presence of amines and crystal structure of [(n-Pr)3NH][Me2Sn(μ2-SCH2COO)Cl]

A series of new five-coordinated ionic organotin(IV) complexes with general formula [Q][Me2Sn(μ2-SCH2COO)Cl](Q = diethylammonium, triethylammonium, di-i-propylammonium, tripropylammonium, tri-n-butylammonium, pyrimidium, 3-picolinium, methylphenylammonium, dimethylphenylammonium) were synthesized by the reaction of mercaptoacetic acid with dimethyltin dichloride in the presence of an organic base. These complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies. The crystal structure of [(n-Pr)3NH][Me2Sn(μ2-SCH2COO)Cl] was determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure consists of an anion part, and a tri-n-propylammonium cation part as a counterion. The tin atom has a distorted cis-tbp geometry with two carbon and one sulfur atoms occupying the equatorial positions and the O atom and Cl atom occupying the axial positions. The organotin anion and its counterion are connected through a hydrogen bond between the N atom in the ammonium and the O atom of the carbonyl group with a N–O length of 2.766 Å.