Organotin compounds with the general formula R2(X)SnL (where R=Me, Et, n‐Bu, Ph; L=the trans‐3‐(2‐furanyl)‐2‐propenoate anion or the trans‐3‐(3‐methylphenyl)‐2‐propenoate anion; and X=Cl) have been prepared by redistribution reactions between the R2SnL2 and R2SnX2 compounds. These compounds were characterized by elemental analyses and various spectroscopic techniques such as 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR, Mass, Mössbauer, and IR spectroscopies. On the basis of these spectroscopic data, it is suggested that these compounds adopt the cis‐R2(X)SnO2 geometry. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 8: 273–278, 1997.