Diorganotin(IV) 2-pyridyl selenolates: synthesis, structures and their utility as molecular precursors for the preparation of tin selenide nanocrystals and thin films.

Reactions of R(2)SnCl(2) (R = Me, Et, (t)Bu) with NaSeC(5)H(3)(R'-3)N (R' = H or Me) gave complexes of the composition [R(2)Sn{2-SeC(5)H(3)(R'-3)N)}(2)], which on treatment with R(2)SnCl(2) afforded chloro complexes, [R(2)Sn{2-SeC(5)H(3)(R'-3)N}Cl]. These complexes were characterized by elemental analyses and UV-vis and NMR ((1)H, (13)C, (77)Se and (119)Sn) spectroscopy. The crystal structures of [R(2)Sn(SeC(5)H(4)N)(2)] (R = Me or (t)Bu) and [Me(2)Sn{2-SeC(5)H(3)(Me-3)N}Cl] were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The tin atom in the former two structures acquires a skew trapezoidal configuration, whereas in the latter it adopts a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. Thermolysis of [R(2)Sn(2-SeC(5)H(4)N)(2)] (R = Me, Et or (t)Bu) and [Et(2)Sn{2-SeC(5)H(3)(Me-3)N}(2)] in oleylamine (OA) afforded tin selenide nanostructures. Thin films of SnSe were deposited on glass and silicon substrates by the AACVD of [(t)Bu(2)Sn(2-SeC(5)H(4)N)(2)]. The nanostructures and thin films were characterized by XRD, EDX, AFM, SEM, TEM and SAED techniques. The photovoltaic properties of the thin films have been evaluated.