Hydrolysis of tin(II) neo-pentoxide: syntheses, characterization, and X-ray structures of [Sn(ONep)(2)](infinity), Sn(5)(mu(3)-O)(2)(mu-ONep)(6), and Sn(6)(mu(3)-O)(4)(mu-ONep)(4) where ONep = OCH(2)CMe(3).

The reaction of Sn(NMe(2))(2) (1) with 4 equiv of HOCH(2)CMe(3) (HONep) leads to the isolation of Sn(ONep)(2) (2). Each Sn atom is four coordinated with mu-ONep ligands bridging the metal centers; however, if the free electrons of the Sn(II) metal center are considered, each Sn center adopts a distorted trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) geometry. Through (119)Sn NMR experiments, the polymeric compound 2 was found to be disrupted into smaller oligomers in solution. Titration of 2 with H(2)O led to the identification of two unique hydrolysis products characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as Sn(5)(mu(3)-O)(2)(mu-ONep)(6) (3) and Sn(6)(mu(3)-O)(4)(mu-ONep)(4) (4). Compound 3 consists of an asymmetrical molecule that has five Sn atoms arranged in a square-based pyramidal geometry linked by four basal mu-ONep ligands, two facial mu(3)-O, and two facial mu-ONep ligands. Compound 4 was solved in a novel octahedral arrangement of six Sn cations with an asymmetric arrangement of mu(3)-O and mu-ONep ligands that yields two square base pyramidal and four pyramidal coordinated Sn cations. These compounds were further identified by multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, (17)O, and (119)Sn) solid-state MAS and high resolution, solution NMR experiments. Because of the complexity of the compounds and the accessibility of the various nuclei, 2D NMR experiments were also undertaken to elucidate the solution behavior of these compounds. On the basis of these studies, it was determined that while the central core of the solid-state structures of 3 and 4 is retained, dynamic ligand exchange leads to more symmetrical molecules in solution. Novel products 3 and 4 lend structural insight into the stepwise hydrolysis of Sn(II) alkoxides.