Organotin hydroxides dimeric

The reaction of butyltin trichloride with l-(2-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzotriazol-2-yl)-propan-2-one gives an organotin complex that was formulated as containing the [BuSn(OH)Cl3]2 anion " . However, a reinvestigation of the crystal structure of this complex reveals a neutral hydroxyl-bridged aqua-butyldichlorotin hydroxide dimer that is linked to four 2-methylbenzothiazole molecules by short hydrogen bonds " . 

Trimethyltin hydroxide is an example of a well-characterized organotin hydroxide . In the crystal it has the chain structure illustrated in Fig. 8 (a). In non-polar solvents a dimeric species (CH3)3SnOH 2 is present and is believed to have the dihydroxo-bridged structure of Fig. 8 (b). 

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