Résumé : Sodium bis[2-(3′,6′,9′-trioxadecyl)-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-1-carboxylato]triphenylstannate, [(CH3OCH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2)-1,2-C2B10H10-9-COO)2SnPh3]− Na+, compound 1, was synthesized by the 1:1 condensation of triphenyltin(IV) hydroxide with 2-(3′,6′,9′-trioxadecyl)-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-1-carboxylic acid and crystallized in the presence of sodium bicarbonate. Its structure was determined by spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray diffraction. The structure of 1 consists of trigonal bipyramidal [Sn(Ph)3(L)2]− anions and Na+ cations coordinated by oxygen atoms of polyoxaalkyl chains of different stannate anions, forming cation–anion chains elongated along the c axis. Compound 1 is significantly more active in vitro against seven tumour cell lines of human origin than 5-fluorouracil, cis-platin, carboplatin, and previously reported organotin carboranecarboxylates, but is less active than organotin polyoxaalkylcarboxylates. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.