Disproportionation of Sn(II){CH(SiMe)} to ˙Sn(III){CH(SiMe)} and ˙Sn(I){CH(SiMe)}: characterization of the Sn(I) product.

Half a century after the photolytic disproportionation of Lappert's dialkyl stannylene SnR, R = CH(SiMe) (1) gave the persistent trivalent radical [˙SnR], the characterization of the corresponding Sn(I) product, ˙SnR is now described. It was isolated as the hexastannaprismane SnR (2), from the reduction of 1 by the Mg(I)-reagent, Mg(BDI) (BDI = (DipNCMe)CH, Dip = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl).