Oxidative coupling of silylated nonagermanide clusters. Issue 36 (13th April 2022) - Wallach, Christoph
Abstract : The oxidative coupling of silylated [Ge9 ] clusters mediated by the borane Cy2 BCl as oxide-scavenger is reported. Abstract : Polyhedral main group element clusters of tetrel elements are discussed as suitable building units to form atom-precise nano-structures. Herein we report the oxidative coupling of two [Ge9 {Si(TMS)3 }2 ] 2− clusters (TMS = trimethylsilyl) resulting in the dimeric cluster [Ge9 {Si(TMS)3 }2 ]2 2− . The dimer is structurally characterized as the [NHC iPr Cu] + adduct {NHC iPr Cu[Ge9 {Si(TMS)3 }2 ]}2 [NHC iPr = 1, 3-di(isopropyl)imidazolylidine]. The linkage of two molecular [Ge9 {Si(TMS)3 }2 ] 2− anions under formation of an exo Ge–Ge bond occurs in the presence of Cy2 BCl (Cy = cyclohexyl) and is mediated by trace amounts of oxygen as indicated by the isolation of the by-product Cy2 B-O-BCy2 .