Reductive Elimination and Oxidative Addition of Hydrogen at Organostannylium and Organogermylium Cations

Abstract

Abstract Bulkily substituted organodihydrogermylium and ‐stannylium cations [Ar*EH 2 ] + (E=Ge, Sn; Ar*=2,6‐Trip 2 C 6 H 3 , Trip=2,4,6‐triisopropylphenyl) were characterized as salts of the weakly coordinating perfluorinated alkoxyaluminate anion [Al{OC(CF 3 ) 3 } 4 ] − . At room temperature, the stannylium cation liberates hydrogen to generate the low valent organotin cation [Ar*Sn] + . In contrast, the dihydrogermylium cation transfers the hydrogen atoms to an aryl moiety of the terphenyl ligand and oxidatively adds either hydrogen under an atmosphere of hydrogen or a sp 2 CH unit of the 1,2‐difluorobenzene solvent.