Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>This study deals with the stability of poly(dialkylstannane)s in solution and in the bulk, in particular under exposure to light, which was found to cause degradation more severely than water or oxygen. Decomposition of the poly(dialkylstannanes) under argon atmosphere in solution proceeded by an unzipping mechanism, most likely initiated by scission of a SnSn bond. While solvents and additives influenced polystannane degradation, the length of the alkyl groups was not particularly relevant, indicating that steric effects played a minor role in this process. In unreactive solvents, the polystannanes were the least stable and cyclic oligostannanes formed as decomposition products. Polystannanes in solution were found to be most stable in dichloromethane or styrene, which gave rise to the formation of Bu<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>(ClCH<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>)SnCl or poly(styrene), indicating that the polystannanes acted in the latter case as a photoinitiator. Addition of radical scavengers and selected dyes improved the stability of polystannanes toward light. Exposure of bulk poly(dialkylstannane)s to ambient caused the formation of (oligo‐)alkyltin‐oxides.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:boxed-text content-type="graphic" position="anchor"><jats:graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" mimetype="image/jpeg" position="anchor" specific-use="enlarged-web-image" xlink:href="graphic/mgra001.jpg"><jats:alt-text>magnified image</jats:alt-text></jats:graphic></jats:boxed-text></jats:p>