SYNTHESIS OF MIXED GERMANIUM-LITHIUM AGGREGATES - NEW PSEUDOGERMYLDIANIONS

The lithiation of Mes(2)GeH(2) with nBuLi in a 1:2 molar ratio at low temperature gives an aggregate 1 of the parent germyllithiated derivat ive, unreacted nBuLi and ether in a 1:1:1 ratio. Compound 1 was charac terized by H-1, C-13 and Li-7 NMR. Reactions of 1 with D2O and Me3SiCl afford exclusively the monosubstituted derivatives. With PhCHO, we ob serve the formation of the germylated alcohol 5 and PhCHOHBu. Reaction with Mel is more complex and leads to the dimethylated compound 6 thr ough a single electron transfer mechanism. Transient radical species a re detected by an ESR study.