Transition-metal carbonyl derivatives of the germanes. Part 10. Tetracarbonyldigermanylcobalt

Abstract

Digermanyl chloride reacts with Na[Co(CO)₄] in diethyl ether to yield [Co(CO)₄(Ge₂H₅)]. The compounds Ge₂ClH₅ and [Co(CO)₄(GeH₃)] yield an equilibrium mixture which lies largely to the side [Co(CO)₄(Ge₂H₅)] plus GeClH₃. The ¹H n.m.r. vibrational, and mass spectra of the title compound are discussed. The Co–Ge bond is cleaved by HgCl₂, no reaction occurs with CCl₄ or GeCl₄, and [Mn(CO)₅]^– displaces [Co(CO)₄]^– yielding [Mn(CO)₅(Ge₂H₅)], all these reactions paralleling those of [Co(CO)₄(GeH₃)].