Condensation of 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carbaldehyde with 2-aminophenol gave the ( E )-2-[(2-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl]quinolin-8-ol derivative that reacted with di- n -butyltin oxide with release of H 2 O to yield the chelate title complex, [Sn 2 (C 4 H 9 ) 4 (C 16 H 10 N 2 O 2 ) 2 ]. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P -1, with two independent centrosymmetric dimers in the unit cell. Each features a typical pincer-type structure where the dianionic ligand is tetradentate, coordinating to the central tin atom through both phenolate oxygen atoms, as well as through the quinoline and imine N atoms. Each metal atom adopts a distorted pentagonal–bipyramidal SnC 2 N 2 O 3 coordination arising from the N , N ′, O , O ′-tetradentate deprotonated Schiff base, one bridging phenolate O atom of the neighbouring ligand and two butyl groups in the axial sites.