STRUCTURAL INFORMATION FROM THE MOSSBAUER QUADRUPOLE SPLITTING OF TIN(IV) CHLORIDE COMPLEXES

An empirical linear relationship has been found between the Sn-Cl distance in octahedral tin(IV) chloride complexes and the Mossbauer partial quadrupole splitting of the ligands. The correlation d(Sn-Cl) = (-0.044 +/- 0.002) (4 PQS) + (2.420 +/- 0.003) angstrom can be used to predict Sn-Cl distances and get information about the tin-ligand bond strength and the sign of the quadrupole splitting. The relationship suggests that bond distances are strongly affected by rehybridization at the tin atom. The cis or trans structure of tin(IV) chloride complexes cannot be assigned on the basis of the resolvable or unresolvable nature of the Mossbauer doublets, which are rationalized by means of the correlation with the Sn-Cl distances.