The chemistry of organometallic compounds containing a tin---zinc bond. The occurrence of 1,2-intermetallic migrations of organic groups

Triphenyltin-zinc compounds are easily accessible by means of hydrostannolysis reactions of zinc---carbon bonds in coordinatively saturated organozinc compounds. The chemical behaviour of (triphenyltin)zinc chloride was found to depend greatly on the coordination state of the zinc atom. In the absence of strongly coordinating ligands, 1,2-intermetallic migration of a phenyl group from tin to zinc occurs. In consequence it behaves as a phenylating reagent. The strongly coordinating ligand N,N,N′N′-tetramethylethylenediamine prevents or reverses this phenyl migration. A possible structure for uncomplexed (triphenyltin)zinc chloride is discussed