Tin triphosphide explained

Tin triphosphide is a binary inorganic compound of tin metal and phosphorus with the chemical formula .^[1]

Structure

X-ray crystallography reveals that tin triphosphide is not a triphosphide. It is a hexaphosphide, with P₆^6- rings. These ruffled P₆ rings form three short (2.66 Å) and three long (2.95 Å) Sn-P bonds. The result is that Sn(II) adopts highly distorted octahedral geometry. The structure of tin triphosphide resembles that of gray arsenic, which also features corrugated, linked six-membered (As₆) rings, wherein each arsenic atom has a highly distorted octahedral geometry. Germanium triphosphide and tin triphosphide are similar structurally as well.

Tin triphosphide forms triclinic crystals, spatial group R3m with six formula units in a unit cell of dimensions a = 7.378 Å and c = 10.512 Å.^{[2] [3]}

Preparation and occurrence

Tin triphosphide can be formed from the fusion of stoichiometric amounts of both elements at 580 °C:

has been evaluated for use in energy storage devices.^[4]

Related compounds

• SnP, which has the sodium chloride structure.^[5]
• Sn₄P₃^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: Jacobson . Carl Alfred . Hampel . Clifford A. . Encyclopedia of Chemical Reactions . 1946 . Reinhold Publishing Corporation . 15 . 28 March 2024 . en.
2. Gullman . Jan . Olofsson . Olle . The crystal structure of SnP₃ and a note on the crystal structure of GeP₃ . . 1 November 1972 . 5 . 3 . 441–445 . 10.1016/0022-4596(72)90091-6 . 28 March 2024 . 0022-4596.
3. Web site: mp-7541: SnP3 (trigonal, R-3m, 166) . . 28 March 2024.
4. Yan . Miaomiao . Yang . Bingchao . Sun . Xiujie . Wang . Zhixiu . Jiang . Xingang . Yi . Wencai . Sun . Hairui . Yang . Ruilong . Ding . Hao . Yue . Dongdong . Zhai . Kun . Li . Yueqing . Chen . Xin . Zhang . Yongsheng . Liu . Xiaobing . High-Quality 2D SnP₃ Nanosheets: Novel Flexible Electrode for Energy Storage Device Application with Wide Temperature Adaptivity . ACS Materials Letters . 1 January 2024 . 6 . 1 . 194–202 . 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.3c01438 . 28 March 2024 . en . 2639-4979.
5. 10.1021/ic50084a032 . Synthesis, Structure, and Superconducting Properties of New High-Pressure Forms of Tin Phosphide . 1970 . Donohue . Paul C. . Inorganic Chemistry . 9 . 2 . 335–337 .
6. 10.3891/acta.chem.scand.21-1659 . On the Crystal Structure of Sn₄P₃ . 1967 . Olofsson . Olle . Jerslev . Bodil . Thom . Erling . Stoll . E. . Eriksson . G. . Blinc . R. . Paušak . S. . Ehrenberg . L. . Dumanović . J. . Acta Chemica Scandinavica . 21 . 1659–1660 .