Tin(II) hydroxide, Sn(OH)₂, also known as ''stannous hydroxide'', is an

inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemi ...

tin(II). The only related material for which definitive information is available is the oxy hydroxide Sn₆O₄(OH)₄, but other related materials are claimed. They are all white solids that are insoluble in water.

Preparation and structure

Crystals of Sn₆O₄(OH)₄ has been characterized by X-ray diffraction. This cluster is obtained from solution of basic solutions of tin(II). The compound consists of an octahedron of Sn centers, each face of which is capped by an oxide or a hydroxide. The structure is reminiscent of the Mo₆S₈ subunit of the

Chevrel phase Octahedral clusters are inorganic or organometallic cluster (chemistry), cluster compounds composed of six metals in an octahedral molecular geometry, octahedral array.Eric J. Welch and Jeffrey R. Long ''Atomlike Building Units of Adjustable Charact ...

s.. The structure of pure Sn(OH)₂ is not known. Sn(OH)₂ has been claimed to arise from the reaction of (CH₃)₃SnOH with SnCl₂ in an aprotic solvent: :2 Me₃SnOH + SnCl₂ → Sn(OH)₂ + 2 Me₃SnCl No crystallographic characterization is available on this material.

Reactions

Stannous hydroxide is easily oxidized to

stannic oxide Tin(IV) oxide, also known as stannic oxide, is the inorganic compound with the formula SnO2. The mineral form of SnO2 is called cassiterite, and this is the main ore of tin. With many other names, this oxide of tin is an important material in t ...

(SnO₂) by air.

References

Hydroxides Tin(II) compounds Reducing agents {{inorganic-compound-stub