SYNTHESIS AND REACTIVITY OF 1,1,2,2-TETRAPHENYL 1,2-DIGERMYLDILITHIUM

The new 1,1,2,2-tetraphenyl 1,2-digermyldilithium compound (2) is prepared in high yield by metallation of the corresponding aryldihydrodigermane (1) with t-BuLi in THF. It is characterized by C-13 NMR spectroscopy and by alkylation with methyl iodide. Some nucleophilic substitution reactions are reported: compound 2 reacts with MesCOCl to give a new digermyldiketone [Ph2(MesCO)Ge]2 (8). Its germylation reaction with several alkyl methoxygermanes or -digermanes constitute a convenient way for synthesizing cyclopolygermanes (3,4 or 6 rings). Its reaction with trans-Cl2Pt(PEt3)2 leads to a mixture of the expected cyclic complex 12 and its corresponding oxide 13.