Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Diorganotin Thiocarboxylate: Dimethyl(thioacetato)-tin(IV) Chloride and its Reactions with Nucleophiles Exhibiting Desulfurization

Dimethyl(thioacetato)tin chloride (1) was synthesized by the reaction of dimethyltin dichloride with thioacetic acid in the presence of triethylamine. Compound 1 was subjected to hydrolysis under different reaction conditions in order to obtain sulfido/hydrosulfidotin compounds. Except for one case where the product was hexamethyl-1,3,5-trithia-2,4,6-tristannacyclohexane, (Me2SnS)3 (4), all other reactions led to desulfurization, and the products obtained were organostannoxane compounds, dinuclear tetramethyl-oxo-dichloroditin, {Me2SnCl2.Me2SnO} 2 (2), and tetraacetatodioxotetra( dimethyltin), (Me2Sn)4O2(O2CMe)4 (3). These complexes have been characterized by 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, and compounds 2 - 4 also by X-ray crystallography. Density functional calculations were performed to explain the structure and reactivity of the compounds.