Question

Why are the tin (IV) halides more volatile than the tin (II) halides?

Short answer

Tin $\left(\text{IV}\right)$halides have more covalent character than tin$\left(\text{II}\right)$ halides because of weak London dispersion force in ${\text{SnCl}}_{\text{4}}$and increase in polarizing power.

Step-by-step solution

Concept Introduction

The transient attractive forces that occurs when two nearby atoms electrons occupy locations that cause them to form temporary dipoles.

Volatile Strength

The inert pair effect is the tendency of the two electrons in the outermost atomicorbital to remain unshared in compounds of post-transition metals.

As a result, the inert pair ofelectrons remain more tightly held by the nucleus and hence participates less in bond formation.

Tin also shows the inert par effect and forms${\text{Sn}}^{\text{4 +}}$and${\text{Sn}}^{\text{2 +}}$ ions.

As the charge on metal ion increases, its polarizing power also increases. This causes a more covalent nature in a molecule.

${\text{SnCl}}_{\text{4}}$is a more volatile compound because covalent compounds have weak London dispersion forces.

${\text{SnCl}}_{\text{2}}$has a more ionic nature due to lesser charge on the cation.

Therefore, Tin$\left(\text{II}\right)$ halides is less covalent than Tin$\left(\text{IV}\right)$ halides.