Tetraammine lithium cations stabilizing phenylsubstituted zintl-anions: The compound [Li(NH3)(4)](2)[Sn2Ph4]

Ruby-red, brittle single crystals of [Li(NH3)(4)](2)[Sn2Ph4] were synthesized by the reaction of diphenyltin dichloride and metallic lithium in liquid ammonia at -35 degrees C. The structure was determined from X-ray single-crystal diffractometer data: Space group, P (1) over bar Z = 1, a = 9.462(2) Angstrom, b = 9.727(2) Angstrom, c = 11.232(2) Angstrom, alpha-66.22(3)degrees, beta=85.78(3)degrees, gamma=61.83(3)degrees, R-1 (F-0(2) greater than or equal to 4 sigma F-0(2)) = 5.13%, wR(2) (F-0(2) greater than or equal to 4 sigma F-0(2)) = 10.5%, N(F-0(2) greater than or equal to 4 sigma F-0(2)) = 779, N(Var.) = 163. The compound contains to Sb2Ph4 isosteric centres [Sn2Ph4](2-) as anions which are connected to rods by lithium cations in distorted tetrahedral coordination by ammonia. These rods ale arranged parallel to one another in the b,c-plane, but stacked along [100].