A Route to a Germanium-Carbon Triple Bond: First Chemical Evidence for a Germyne

Abstract

Photolysis of a diazogermylene generates a germylene–carbene species, a resonance form of a germyne (see scheme). Support for the intermediacy of the triply bonded form in the trapping reaction with an alcohol is provided by the fact that the diazo precursor does not behave as a germylene and that its photolysis product does not react with carbene traps such as 2,3-dimethylbutadiene. Hence, this is the first chemical evidence for a germyne. Ar=2,6-(iPr2NCH2)2C6H3; R=Me, tBu.