The growth of bent micro crystallites of several microns in length is achieved during evaporation-assisted crystallization of di-n-butyltinbis(O-methylmethylphosphonate), 1 from a solution in chloroform. The induction of charge transfer interactions between 1 and iodine facilitates the isolation of cubic shaped single crystals. The structure of 1 adopts a one-dimensional motif featuring an infinite array of [–Sn–O–P–O–]2 cyclic rings while CH⋯O hydrogen bonds are oriented orthogonal to the inorganic chain. The bonding attributes provide a rationale to the bending phenomenon of the slender crystallites.
