Crystal structure of the coordination compound of triiodidomethyltin(IV) with 2,20-bipyridine, MeSnI3bipy

The title compound, (2,20-bipyridine-2N,N0)triiodidomethyltin(IV), [Sn(CH3)- I3(C10H8N2)], crystallizing in the non-centrosymmetric orthorhombic space group Pca21 as an inversion twin, represents one of the few structurally characterized coordination compounds of an organotin(IV) trihalide with 2,20 -biypridine. Its distorted octahedral geometry shows a meridional arrangement of the I atoms and the methyl group is in-plane with the five-membered chelate ring. Asymmetric bonding of the biypridine ligand to the tin(IV) atom is reflected by different Sn—N bond lengths [2.268 (4) A˚ versus 2.293 (4) A˚ ] and caused by the static trans effect of the methyl group. Sn—I bond lengths show some differences with respect to their orientation to the methyl group or the bipyridine ligand, respectively. Angular distortions in the coordination sphere of the SnIV atom mainly arise from the large I atoms. Distortion of the 2,20-bipyridine ligand as a result of its coordination to the SnIV atom are described by the twisting angle of 2.5 (2) between the least-squares planes of the two pyridine rings, as well as by the angle of 6.2 (2) between the two lines through the pyridine-connecting C atoms and the para-orientated C atoms. Directional intermolecular interactions are restricted to weak IH van der Waals contacts.