Transition-metal carbonyl derivatives of the germanes. Part 9. Reactions of tetracarbonyldi(methylgermyl)iron with some covalent halides

Abstract

The reactivity patterns of [Fe(CO)₄(GeMeH₂)₂](1), with covalent halides have been established from ¹H n.m.r., i.r., and mass-spectral studies. Halogenation by milder reagents such as SiCl₄ is stepwise and alternate at each germanium. The more reactive hydrogen halides substitute and then cleave Fe–Ge bonds. The germyliron system is intermediate in its tendency to cleavage between the germyl-manganese and the -cobalt carbonyls. Rearrangement to cyclic compounds [{Fe(CO)₄(GeMeCl_xH_1-x)}₂] is observed after longer reaction times.