Insertion reactions of electron-deficient species: Insertion of germylenes and phenylphosphinidene into germanium—germanium bonds

Abstract

The reactions of germylenes with pentafluorophenyl- and alkylpentafluorophenyl-digermanes give the trigermanes (C 6F 5) 3 ▪ (XP=F,Cl;=F,Ph; R=F 5,Et). Their thermal decomposition involves α-elimination to give halogermanes and germylgermylenes. These last bivalent species were trapped with dimethylbutadiene to give germylgermacyclopentenes. Insertion of phylphosphinidene into the very reactive germanium—germanium bond of (C 6F 5) 3GeGe(C 6F 5) 3 was also observed.