Polymeric distannanes were synthesised by the cross-linking of polystyrene bound tin hydride functionalities using a palladium mediated dehydrogenative coupling. The polymers were characterised by spectroscopic methods (IR and C-13, Sn-119 NMR) and elemental analysis and were successfully applied to two iodine atom transfer cyclisations, performing as well as solution based hexaalkylditin reagents and significantly better than previously reported polymer-supported ditin reagents. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.