A new polymorph of dichloridotriphenylantimony

Area of Science:

• Solid-state chemistry
• Crystallography
• Materials science

Background:

• Polymorphism in organometallic compounds can significantly impact their physical and chemical properties.
• Understanding different crystalline forms is crucial for controlling material behavior and applications.
• Dichloridotriphenylantimony [Sb(C(6)H(5))(3)Cl(2)] has known polymorphic variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a newly identified polymorphic form of dichloridotriphenylantimony.
• To compare the structural and energetic characteristics of different polymorphic phases.
• To investigate the relationship between kinetic and thermodynamic stability in crystal formation.

Main Methods:

• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used to determine the molecular and crystal structure.
• Analysis of crystallographic data, including the number of unique molecules in the asymmetric unit (Z').
• Comparison with previously reported data for other polymorphs and related compounds.

Main Results:

• A new polymorphic form of dichloridotriphenylantimony, [Sb(C(6)H(5))(3)Cl(2)], was identified.
• This new polymorph is one of two kinetically favored phases, both exhibiting Z' > 1.
• The thermodynamically preferred polymorph of pure [Sb(C(6)H(5))(3)Cl(2)] has Z' = 1, contrasting with the kinetically favored forms.

Conclusions:

• Kinetically controlled crystallization can lead to complex polymorphic forms with multiple unique molecules per asymmetric unit.
• The existence of multiple kinetically favored polymorphs highlights the intricate phase behavior of dichloridotriphenylantimony.
• A clear distinction exists between kinetically favored and thermodynamically stable crystalline forms of this compound.