Solvent dependent ester elimination reactions in the preparation of mixed-metal oxo clusters: the synthesis of PbSn23-O)(OBut)4(OAc)4

Abstract
The reaction between Sn(OBut)4 and Pb(OAc)4 has been studied as a function of the nature of the reaction solvent: in refluxing toluene, ester elimination results in the quantitative formation of PbSn23-O)(OBut)4(OAc)4 which has been characterized in solution by 1H, 119Sn and 207Pb NMR and in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, whereas in pyridine, reaction of the same two species results in ligand exchange forming Sn(OBut)3(OAc)·pyridine and Pb(OAc)3(OBut).