Facile one-pot synthesis of tin selenide nanostructures using diorganotin bis(5-methyl-2-pyridylselenolates)

Tin selenide (SnSe and SnSe2) nanostructures have been synthesized by a one-pot reaction involving thermolysis of diorganotinbis (5-methyl-2-pyridyl selenolates), [R2Sn{SeC5H3(Me-5)N}(2)] (R = Bu-t (1), Et (2) or Me (3)) in a high boiling coordinating solvent. The latter have been isolated by treatment of R2SnCl2 with sodium 5-methyl-2-pyridyl selenolate. They were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR (H-1,C-13,Se-77,Sn-119) spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The phase and composition tunability of tin selenide nanostructures has been demonstrated by thermolysis of [(Bu2Sn)-Bu-t{SeC5H3(Me-5)N}(2)] through proper choice of high boiling solvent. pXRD, SEM, TEM and EDS were used to investigate the phase purity, morphology and composition of nanostructures. The band gap of nanostructures as deduced from DRS was found to be in the range of 1.75-2.1 eV (direct) and 1.36-1.49 eV (indirect). The band gap values of the nanostructures are blue shifted relative to bulk material indicating quantum confinement. The nanostructures showed photo response which make them promising candidate for alternative low-cost photon absorber material. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.