RECOGNITION OF LINEAR AND BENT FORMS OF SOLID MU-OXO-BIS[IODOTRIPHENYLANTIMONY(V)](PH(3)SBI)(2)O

Two quite different shapes of the (Ph(3)SbI)(2)O molecule are found in separate crystals, namely in, in which the Sb-O-Sb bridge is linear w ith bond distances of 1.9410-1.9437(6) Angstrom and Ib in which the Sb -O-Sb angle is 144.6(4)degrees and the Sb-O bonds are longer, averagin g 1.971(8) Angstrom. The two species also give distinct vibrational sp ectra. Both arise from the reaction of triphenylantimony with iodine i n moist acetonitrile, la as the initial crop of colourless crystals an d Ib as orange crystals left when the solution is allowed to evaporate to dryness.