Journal ol htorganic aml Or,ganomclallic Pol.rnwr,v, 1"ol 5, No 3, 1995 The Breakdown of Polymeric Tin Fluorides Under the Influence of Ultrasound I Paul D. Lickiss-"4 and Ronan Lucas ~ Rcccn'cd ..lueu.~t 30. 1994; n'ci,wd '~lm' 5. 1995 The reaction between the polymeric organotin lluorides R~SnF IR = Bu" or Ph) with alkali metal sahs NaX (X = CI, gr, OCN, or SCN) in an ultrasonic field leads to rapid formation of monomeric R~SnX species in good yields. KEY ~VORI)S: Uhrasound: tint]uorides; rec.~cling;tm polymers. INTRODUCTION Trialkyl tin fluorides are insoluble polymeric solids comprising a backbone of fluoride bridges between the tm atoms {Fig. 1). They are readily obtained from the corresponding chlorides or bromides by shaking with aqueous alcoholic NaF or KF solutions. Their ready formation may be utilized as a method lot the ,'emoval of organotin by-products lbrmed in organic [1] or organometallic [2] syntheses. However, because of their low reactivity and low solubility, the application of organotin fluorides for synthetic purposes is unlikely to be successful. For the same reasons, their conversion to the corresponding, more useful, monomeric chlorides or bromides is difficult. ~This paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor Z+vgnmntLasocki, who made many signilicant contributions in the lield of organosilicon chemistry and whose friendly support and hospitaliL',' P. 13. L. v,'as privileged to enjoy. " Department of Chemistry, Imperial College ot Science. Teclmolog,', and Medicine. London S'+V7 2AY, UK. ~CEA, BP 12, 91681)Bruyeres-Le-Chatel. France. a To whom correspondence should be addressed. 247 I( 53-1 4 ~ 5 05 )9 11)-(1247SI 7 +;{ I ~ i ~ g.r Plenum Publishing Cmporation