Digermyl selenide and some associated germanium–selenium hydride systems

Abstract

Germyl-phosphine and -arsine both react with hydrogen selenide to form digermyl selenide. Evidence is provided by ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopy that germyl hydrogen selenide is a reaction intermediate and that germylenebis-(germyl selenide), (GeH₃Se)₂GeH₂, and possibly germylidynetris- and germanetetrayltetrakis-(germyl selenide), (GeH₃Se)₃GeH and (GeH₃Se)₄Ge are condensation products. The vibrational spectrum of digermyl selenide is discussed.