Decabenzylgermanocene: Synthesis and Structure of a Monomeric, Air‐Stable Germanocene

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of a Monomeric, Air-Stable Germanocene** By Herbert Schumann, * Christoph Janiak, Ekkehnrdt Hahn. Jorg Loebel, and Jerold J . Zuckerman* symmetry with two parallel, staggered cyclopentadienyl rings and a stereochemically inert electron pair at Sn. It has not yet been determined whether the corresponding compounds of Ge['] or Pb] have similar structures. In the germanocenes studied up to now, (q5-CsH5)zGe,i'1 ( I ~ ~ C H & ~ H & G ~ , [ ~ I and ($C5Me5)2Ge,i51 on the other hand, the planes of the two cyclopentadienyl rings intersect at an angle of 34 to 50; the compounds are very reactive. We have now obtained decabenzylgermanocene, I , the first germanocene that, despite nonparallel cyclopentadienyl ring planes, is stable toward air. 1 is formed as large, pale yellow crystals by addition of germanium diiodide to a freshly prepared solution of pentabenzylcyclopentadienyllithium in tetrahydrofuran (THF).Ih1 Decaphenylstannocene' has S