Seven new organotin(IV) compounds containing the carboxylate ligand (Z)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-phenyl-2-propenoate (L) have been synthesized with formulations of R 2 SnL 2 (R = Me, Et, n-Bu, n-Oct) and R 3 SnL, (R = Me, n-Bu, Ph). All compounds have been studied in solution by multinuclear ( 1 H, 13 C, 119 Sn) magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The solid-state structures have been investigated by means of FT-IR spectroscopy and the molecular structure of one example, namely n-Bu 3 SnL, has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The novel structure of n-Bu 3 SnL is tetrameric owing to the presence of bidentate bridging carboxylate ligands. The solution studies show collapse of the intermolecular interactions observed in the solid state to yield monomeric species. Some of the new compounds were found to display significant biocidal activities.