Tetrakis(trialkylsilyl)digermenes. Salient Effects of Trialkylsilyl Substituents on Planarity around the GeGe Bond and Remarkable Thermochromism

Abstract

X-ray structural analyses of tetrakis(trialkylsilyl)digermenes have shown that the trialkylsilyl substituents enforce near-planar geometry around the Ge Ge bonds, in accordance with theoretical predictions. A remarkable temperature dependence of the UV−vis spectra of tetrakis(triisopropylsilyl)digermene in solution was observed, suggesting an equilibrium between two different structures around the Ge Ge bond.