Monoclinic polymorph of chlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide-κO)triphenyltin(IV)

The crystal structure of the title tin complex, [Sn(C6H5)(3)Cl(C2H6OS)], (I), has been reported with one molecule in the asymmetric unit in an orthorhombic cell [Kumar et al. (2009). Acta Cryst. E65, m1602-m1603]. While using SnPh3Cl as a starting material for a reaction for which the products were recrystallized over a very long time (six months) from dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a new polymorph was obtained for (I), with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of a monoclinic cell. The coordination geometry of the Sn centres remains unchanged, with the Cl ion and the DMSO molecule in the apical positions and the phenyl C atoms in the equatorial positions of a trigonal bipyramid. The main difference between the polymorphs is the relative orientation of the phenyl rings in the equatorial plane, reflecting a degree of free rotation of these groups about their Sn - C bonds. In the crystal, molecules are linked into [010] chains mediated by weak C - H center dot center dot center dot O interactions.