Chemistry, including the X-ray structure, of bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)methylgermanium(II)], R2GeGeR2[R = CH(SiMe3)2], a stable compound having a metal–metal ‘double bond,’ a dimetallene

Abstract

Reaction of MgClR(OEt₂)[R = CH(SiMe₃)₂] with GeCl₂· dioxane in OEt₂ yields the bright yellow crystalline Ge₂R₄[having a trans-folded C_2h Ge₂C₄ framework with a fold angle of 32°, a germanium environment intermediate between pyramidal and planar (sum of angles at Ge = 348°) and a GeGe bond length of 2.347(2)Å(ca. 4% shorter than in elemental germanium)], which behaves chemically as a singlet germylene eR₂.