Synthesis, characterization, and photoreactions of 1,2-disiladigermacyclobutane

A new four-membered ring compound having a Si2Ge2 skeleton, octaisopropyl-1 , 2-disiladigermacyclobutane (1), was synthesized by the reductive coupling of tetraisopropyl-1, 2-dichlorosilagermane with sodium in toluene. The str ucture of 1, which has one Ge-Ge bond, one Si-Si bond, and two Ge-Si bonds in a ring, was confirmed by chemical derivatization; the reactions of 1 wit h m-chloroperoxy-benzoic acid and PCl5 led to the selective cleavage of the Ge-Ge bond 1 was observed at the initial stage of the photolysis using 254 nm light. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.