 Löwig' route involved treating an Sn/K and Sn/Na alloys with iodoethane, in the presence of quartz sand which was used to control the reaction rate.Products with elemental compositions close to those of oligo(diethylstannane)s or poly(diethylstannane) were obtained.Cahours obtained similar products and attributed the formation of the so-called "stannic ethyl" to a reaction of the Wurtz type.