Iron Complexes with Stabilized Germylenes: Syntheses and Characterizations

Abstract

The reactivity of amidinate (1a,b, 2a)- or NHC (5a,b)-stabilized germanium(II) compounds toward diiron nonacarbonyl has been investigated. These germylenes act as two-electron carbene-like ligands and lead to stable germylene iron complexes by exchange reaction of a carbonyl ligand. Whereas the amidinato chloro germylenes lead to stable complexes, a bis(iron germylene) oxide was obtained from the bis-amidinato germylene. The reactions of NHC-stabilized germylenes (5a,b) with Fe2(CO)9 were also explored, giving donor–acceptor complexes of germylenes. All the germanium–iron complexes were fully characterized (1H and 13C NMR and IR) including by single-crystal X-ray diffraction structure determinations.