Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
06:44
From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
Published on: March 24, 2018
A reversible valence equilibrium in a heavier main group compound
Andrew D Phillips1, Shirley Hino, Philip P Power
1Department of Chemistry, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|June 19, 2003
Summary
Researchers discovered a novel tin compound, Ar*SnSnPh2Ar*, which exists in equilibrium with a tin(II) species, Ar*SnPh. This represents the first room-temperature equilibrium observed for main group elements in varying oxidation states.
Area of Science:
- Organometallic Chemistry
- Main Group Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
Background:
- Tin chemistry is characterized by diverse oxidation states.
- Stable low-valent main group compounds are of significant interest.
- Understanding redox equilibria is crucial for synthetic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel low-valent tin species.
- To investigate the equilibrium between different oxidation states of tin.
- To establish the first room-temperature equilibrium involving main group elements in different oxidation states.
Main Methods:
- Reaction of Ar*SnCl with LiPh at low temperatures.
- Spectroscopic characterization of the resulting tin species.
- Crystallographic analysis to determine molecular structures.
Main Results:
- Formation of the Sn(I)-Sn(III) species Ar*SnSnPh2Ar*.
- Observation of an equilibrium between Ar*SnSnPh2Ar* and the Sn(II) compound Ar*SnPh.
- The equilibrium is stable at room temperature, a novel finding for main group element chemistry.
Conclusions:
- The study presents the first room-temperature equilibrium of main group compounds in different oxidation states.
- This discovery opens new avenues for exploring low-valent main group chemistry.
- The findings challenge previous assumptions about the stability of such equilibria.
Related Concept Videos
02:20Dynamic Equilibrium
A reversible chemical reaction represents a chemical process that proceeds in both forward (left to right) and reverse (right to left) directions. When the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, the concentrations of the reactant and product species remain constant over time and the system is at equilibrium. A special double arrow is used to emphasize the reversible nature of the reaction. The relative concentrations of reactants and products in equilibrium systems vary greatly;...
02:34Structural Isomerism
Isomerism in Complexes
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can be...
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can be...
02:52Stereoisomerism
Isomerism in Complexes
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...
02:40Chemical Bonds
Atoms participate in a chemical bond formation to acquire a completed valence-shell electron configuration similar to that of the noble gas nearest to it in atomic number. Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds are some of the important types of chemical bonds. Bond energy and bond length determine the strength of a chemical bond.
Types of Chemical Bonds
An ionic bond is formed due to electrostatic attraction between cations and anions. Often, the ions are formed by the transfer of electrons from...
01:20Chemical Equilibria: Redefining Equilibrium Constant
The effect of an inert salt on the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt is known as the salt effect. The degree of the salt effect varies with the ionic strength of the solution, which in turn depends on the activity of the species in the solution. The activity is expressed as the product of concentration and the activity coefficient of the species.
To calculate the equilibrium constants of solutions of moderately high ionic strength, one must account for the salt effect. This redefined...
To calculate the equilibrium constants of solutions of moderately high ionic strength, one must account for the salt effect. This redefined...
01:19Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect
In complexation reactions, metal atoms or cations interact with ligands to form donor-acceptor adducts called metal complexes. Ligands that bind through one donor site are monodentate, ligands with two donor sites are bidentate, and those with more than two donor sites are polydentate ligands. For example, ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms, forming a five-membered ring. EDTA is a polydentate ligand that binds through four oxygen and two nitrogen...