A novel synthesis of a germene and of a 1,2-digermacyclobutane via a Peterson-type reaction

Abstract

Reaction of (Me₃Si)₃GeLi·STHF with adamantanone in hexane at –78 °C leads via a Peterson-type elimination to bis(trimethylsilyl)adamantylidene germene, which spontaneously dimerizes in a head-to-head fashion to yield 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)-dispiro[3,3′,4,4′-biadamantane-1,2-digermacyclobutane] the X-ray structure of which is reported, or which could be trapped by buta-1,3-diene to give the Diels-Alder product.