SnCl4

tin(IV) chloride · stannic chloride, tin tetrachloride

Tin(IV) chloride is a stable, insulating inorganic compound widely used as a chemical reagent and a precursor for thin-film manufacturing.

ClSn
Crystal structure of SnCl4
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About tin(IV) chloride

Tin(IV) chloride is a thermodynamically stable inorganic compound that exists as a wide-band-gap insulator. Its robust structural profile is well-documented, with numerous reported configurations across major materials databases, highlighting its significance in chemical research and industrial synthesis.

As a versatile reagent, this compound is primarily utilized in organic synthesis and as a precursor for the deposition of tin-based thin films. Its insulating electronic character and stable nature make it a fundamental building block for creating specialized materials in electronics and surface coatings.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for tin(IV) chloride, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

3.56 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

18
3 databases, 7 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting SnCl4.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Uses

Applications

Where tin(IV) chloride is used.

organic synthesisthin-film depositioncatalysissurface treatment
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about tin(IV) chloride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is SnCl4?

Tin(IV) chloride is a stable, insulating inorganic compound widely used as a chemical reagent and a precursor for thin-film manufacturing.

More questions
What is SnCl4 used for?
tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4) is used in organic synthesis, thin-film deposition, catalysis, and surface treatment.
What is the band gap of SnCl4?
tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4) has a DFT-computed band gap of 3.56 eV across 18 reported structures.
Is SnCl4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 3.56 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is SnCl4 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of SnCl4 are known?
18 structures of SnCl4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 7 distinct space groups.
How is SnCl4 synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for SnCl4 include sol gel.
What elements does SnCl4 contain?
tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4) contains Cl and Sn (2 elements).
Where does the data for SnCl4 come from?
SnCl4 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a standalone representative in this context, tin(IV) chloride serves as a primary benchmark for tin-based halides, demonstrating high thermodynamic stability that defines the standard for its class.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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