Synthesis and Structure of the Metalated Zintl Ion[Ge₉(μ₁₀‐Ge)Ni(PPh₃)]²⁻

Abstract

The first metalated germanide ion and only the second example of a cluster of the rare nido-10 (iv+iv) structural type, the anion 1, was isolated from the reaction of [Ni(CO)2(PPh3)2], K4Ge9, and “2.2.2”cryptand in ethylenediamine (en). However, the structure of the Ge10Ni cluster (see picture) is distinctly distorted relative to the ideal nido-10 (iv+iv) geometry.