C-BIFUNCTIONAL SILACYCLOPENTANES AND GERMACYCLOPENTANES .1. 1-SILACYCLOPENTAN-2,3-DIOLS AND 1-GERMACYCLOPENTAN-2,3-DIOLS AND 1-GERMACYCLOPENTAN-3,4-DIOLS

C-bifunctional sila- and germacyclopentanes have some potential as biologically active drugs. Ten representative 1-sila (and 1-germa) cyclopentane-2,3 and 3,4-diols, cis or trans, were synthesized from the corresponding 1-metallacyclopen-3-enes. The influence of the metal, silicon or germanium, on each step leading to 3 sets of alpha-diols is underlined. The stereochemistry of the alpha-diols and their precursors was established by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy.