The characterisation of triorganotin hydroxides and of bis(triorganotin) oxides by infrared and Mössbauer spectroscopy

Abstract

Bis(trialkyltin) oxides react with water at 0—5° to give the corresponding trialkyltin hydroxides. The oxides are characterised by a strong band in the i.r. spectra at 740—770 cm^–1[ν_as(SnOSn)] and by a Mössbauer quadrupole splitting of 1·18—1·63 mm s^–1, whereas the hydroxides show i.r. bands at 3610—3630 [ν(OH)] and 880—920 cm^–1(δOH), and quadrupole splittings of 2·78—2·99 mm s^–1. Trimethyl- and triphenyl-tin hydroxide are stable at room temperature, but triethyl-, tripropyl-, and tributyl-tin hydroxide, which are low-melting solids, are in equilibrium with the corresponding bis(trialkyltin) oxides and water.