Synthesis, characterisation and X-ray structures of diorganotin(IV) and iron(III) complexes of dianionic terdentate Schiff base ligands

Diorganotin(IV) complexes, [SnR2L] (1)-(4), (R = Me, Ph), of the terdentate Schiff bases N-[(2-pyrroyl)methylideiie]-N'-tosylbenzene-1,2-diamine (H2L1) and N-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)metylidetie]-N'-tosylbenzene-1,2-diamine (H2L2) have been synthesised. The complexes were obtained by addition of the appropriate ligand to a methanol suspension of the corresponding diorganotin(IV) dichloride in the presence of triethylamine. However, the reaction between the precursor [eta(5)-C5H5Fe(CO)(2)](2)SnCl2 and the Schiff bases in the presence of triethylamine gave [Et3NH][FeL21] (5) and [Et3NH][FeL22] (6), respectively. The crystal structures of the ligands and complexes have been studied by X-ray diffraction. The structure of [SnR2L] complexes shows the tin to be five-coordinate in a distorted square pyramidal environment with the dianionic ligand acting in a terdentate manner. In 5 and 6, the iron atorn is in a slightly distorted octahedral environment and is meridionally coordinated by two ligands. Spectroscopic data for the ligands and complexes (IR, H-1, C-13 and Sn-119 NMR and mass spectra) are discussed and related to the structural information. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.