Reactions of organodigermanes
Abstract
Electrophilic attack by CX3CO2H (X = Cl or F) on Ge2Ph6 cleaves either 1 or 2 phenyl groups forming [Ge2Ph5-(OCOCX3) and GePh2(OCOCX3)]2 which are readily converted into the corresponding halides, Ge2Ph5X and (GePh2X)2. Both the diesters and dihalides are susceptible to hydrolysis with nucleophilic cleavage of the Ge–Ge bond. A mass spectroscopic study of these compound is reported.