Synthesis and structure of the first oxygen-donor-stabilized organogermanium(II) compounds

GeCl(2)(.)dioxane reacts with 1 and 2 equiv of [2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(tert-b utoxymethyl)lithium (t-BomxLi) to give the germanium(II) compounds t-BomxGe Cl(1) and [t-Bomx](2)Ge (2), respectively. Reaction with 2 equiv of [2,4-di -tert-butyl-6-(iso-propoxymethyl)phenyl]lithium (i-PomxLi) affords [i-Pomx] (2)Ge (3). Compounds 1-3 show intramolecular coordination of the alkoxy lig and to the germanium(II) center. The use of the 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6(methoxy methyl)phenyl ligand (Momx) does not lead to the expected base-stabilized g ermanium(II) species Momx(2)Ge but gives the germanium(IV) compound MomxGe[ OCH2(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)] (Me) (4) as the result of an intramolecular O-CH3 bond oxidative addition process; X-ray crystal structure determinatio ns are presented for 1, 2, and 4.