Triphenyltin hydride is the organotin compound with the formula (C6H5)3SnH, often abbreviated as , where Ph stands for phenyl. It is a colorless distillable oil that is soluble in organic solvents. It is often used as a source of "H·" to generate radicals or cleave carbon-oxygen bonds.
Preparation and reactions Ph3SnH, as it is more commonly abbreviated, is prepared by treatment of triphenyltin chloride with lithium aluminium hydride.Clive, D. L. J. "Triphenylstannane" in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (Ed: L. Paquette) 2004, J. Wiley & Sons, New York. Although Ph3SnH is treated as a source of "H·", in fact it does not release free hydrogen atoms, which are extremely reactive species. Instead, Ph3SnH transfers H to substrates usually via a radical chain mechanism. This reactivity exploits the relatively good stability of "Ph3Sn·"
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