An Isolable Bis(Germylene)-Stabilized Plumbylone.

Abstract

We report herein the synthesis of a stable plumbylone (3) by reduction of a bromodigermylplumbylene (2) with 2.2 equiv of potassium graphite (KC8 ). The molecular structure of 3 was established by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study and features a two-coordinated Pb center with an acute Ge-Pb-Ge bond angle. Computational studies showed that this complex (3) possesses a singlet electronic ground state with a Pb0 center. Its high thermal stability can be most likely ascribed to the delocalization of π electrons over the Ge-Pb-Ge moiety. A preliminary reactivity study demonstrates that complex 3 can deliver Pb0 atoms to an organic azide producing a tetrameric imido complex [(PbNDipp)4 ] (Dipp=2,6-i Pr-C6 H3 , 4) and perform a metathesis reaction with GeCl2 ⋅dioxane to produce a bis(germylene)-stabilized germylone (5), highlighting the synthetic utility of 3.