Chemical properties, polystannanes

US6S. Both polygermanes and polystannanes may find applications because of their unique optical, electronic, and chemical properties. Some of these potential uses include photoresist layers (44,59,60), third-order nonlinear optical materials (50), charge transport polymers (61,62), photoconductors, microlitho-graphic materials (63), and photoinitiators (59). 

We have found that if the thermolysis of the cyclotristannane 1 is carried out with benzophenone at 200° C, two new polycyclic polystannanes, 7 and 8, which are members of the perstanna-[n]-prismane, [RSn]2n, series of compounds, can be isolated by column chromatograpy in a 1 2.3 ratio for a combined yield of 12% [11,12]. Since the octastanna-[4]-prismane 7 and the decastanna-[5]-prismane 8 display different physici and chemical properties, an investigation of these compounds reveals important information concerning the impact that bond angle distortions have on the electronic structure and thermodynamic stability of heavy atom Group IVA polycyclic compounds. 

RSn]2o will be that of the dodecastanna-[10]-prismane rather than that of dodecastanna-dodecahedron. Currently, work is in progress to substantiate these views and the molecular and electronic structures of the new polycyclic polystannanes which are discovered in the process will undoubtedly help to formulate our ideas concening the factors which govern the i ysical and chemical properties of Group IVA heavy atom M-M bonded netwoiks. 

The preparation of these higher molecular weight polystannanes, and the demonstration that they possess a chemical and mechanical integrity similar to that of the polysilanes (they are, however, much more photosensitive than polysilanes), will no doubt stimulate the further study of their properties and methods for their synthesis. 

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