An electron diffraction determination of the molecular structures of silyl- and germyl-manganese pentacarbonyl in the gas phase

Abstract

The molecular structures of the title compounds have been determined by gas phase electron diffraction methods. The SiMn and GeMn bond lengths are 240.7 ∓ 0.5 and 248.7 ∓ 0.2 pm respectively and the CMnC angles in the silyl and germyl cases are 94.5 ± 2° and 97 ± 2° respectively. Comparisons are made with the reported structure of CH 3Mn(CO) 5 and He I photoelectron spectra of these compounds in an attempt to determine the extent of d → d π-bonding in the SiMn or GeMn bonds.