Synthetic, structural and theoretical studies of amidinate and guanidinate stabilised germanium(i) dimers

Abstract

The neutral germanium(I) dimers, [{Ge(Piso)}₂] and [{Ge(Giso)}₂], Piso = [(ArN)₂CBu^t]⁻, Giso = [(ArN)₂CNPrⁱ₂]⁻, Ar = C₆H₃Prⁱ₂-2,6, which are stabilised by bulky amidinate and guanidinate ligands respectively, have been prepared by reduction of the corresponding germanium(II) chlorides, [Ge(Piso)Cl] and [Ge(Giso)Cl]; theoretical studies suggest that the Ge–Ge bonds of [{Ge(Piso)}₂] and [{Ge(Giso)}₂] are associated with their HOMOs, whilst their LUMOs have substantial Ge–Ge π-bonding character.