Cluster Expansion versus Complex Formation: Coinage Metal Coordination to Silylated [Ge9] Cages

A Series of Cyclopentadienyl Lanthanum Complexes with Metalloid Germanium Clusters

A series of cyclopentadienyllanthanum complexes with the disilylated metalloid germanium cluster [Ge9(Hyp)2]2- [Hyp = Si(SiMe3)3] has been prepared and fully characterized. The synthetic procedure is based on the salt metathesis reaction of two different cyclopentadienyllanthanum diiodides CpLaI2 (Cp: Cp*, pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; Cpttt, 1,2,4-tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl) with K2[Ge9(Hyp)2] in tetrahydrofuran (THF) with a subsequent extraction with n-hexane. The composition of the obtained compounds and the mode of coordination of the germanium cluster to the rare-earth metal are strongly influenced by the steric demand of the cyclopentadienyl ligands and the crystallization conditions. The centrosymmetric dimeric compounds with the common formula [CpLa(solv)(η2,3-Ge9(Hyp)2)]2 [1, Cp = Cp*, solv-THF; 2, Cp = Cpttt, solv-NCCH2C(Me)NSiMe3] have been isolated by the slow evaporation of a n-hexane solution, while a mononuclear complex [CptttLa(THF)2(η3-Ge9(Hyp)2)] (4) was found by crystallization from THF. The repeated recrystallization of 1 from n-hexane afforded the asymmetric dimer [Cp*La(THF)(η2,3-Ge9(Hyp)2)][Cp*La(η2,3-Ge9(Hyp)2)] (3) with only one coordinated THF molecule.

Tetrylene-Functionalized Si7-Siliconoids

The core expansion of metallic or metalloid clusters by the addition of further homo- or heteronuclear vertices is pivotal to the nucleation and growth of particles. The exohedral grafting of a low-valent functionality followed by endohedral incorporation have been identified as key steps. Following previous work on the Si6 series, we now report the synthesis and full characterization of the amidinatotetrylene-functionalized seven-vertex siliconoids Si7R5[E(NtBu)2CPh] (E = Si, Ge, Sn). In the case of the silylene derivative, the solid-state structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

[(thf)5Ln(Ge9{Si(SiMe3)3}2)] (Ln = Eu, Sm, Yb): Capping Metalloid Germanium Cluster with Lanthanides

We report the synthesis of three neutral complexes with different coordination modes of a di-silylated metalloid germanium cluster to divalent lanthanides [(thf)₅Ln(ηⁿ-Ge₉(Hyp)₂)] (Ln = Yb (1, n = 1); Eu (2, n = 2, 3), Sm (3, n = 2, 3); Hyp = Si(SiMe₃)₃) by the salt metathesis of LnI₂ with K₂[Ge₉(Hyp)₂] in THF. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In thf solution, the formation of contact or solvate-separated ion pairs depending on the concentration is assumed. Compound 2 exhibits a blue luminescence typical for Eu²⁺. The solid-state magnetic measurements of compounds 2 and 3 confirm the presence of divalent europium and samarium, respectively.

Oxidative coupling of silylated nonagermanide clusters

Polyhedral main group element clusters of tetrel elements are discussed as suitable building units to form atom-precise nano-structures. Herein we report the oxidative coupling of two [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂]^2- clusters (TMS = trimethylsilyl) resulting in the dimeric cluster [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂]₂^2-. The dimer is structurally characterized as the [NHC^iPrCu]⁺ adduct {NHC^iPrCu[Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂]}₂ [NHC^iPr = 1,3-di(isopropyl)imidazolylidine]. The linkage of two molecular [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂]^2- anions under formation of an exo Ge-Ge bond occurs in the presence of Cy₂BCl (Cy = cyclohexyl) and is mediated by trace amounts of oxygen as indicated by the isolation of the by-product Cy₂B-O-BCy₂.

[Co2@(Ge17Ni)]4-: the first edge-sharing double-cage endohedral germanide

We report here a new double-cage endohedral Ge cluster, [Co₂@(Ge₁₇Ni)]^4-, fused through two [Co@(Ge₉Ni)] moieties with a shared Ni-Ge edge. This ternary Co-Ge-Ni species not only represents the first double-cage example of an 18-vertex Zintl cluster, but also fills in the missing link of the edge fusion model in the double-cage systems.

Substitution of Hyp (Hyp = Si(SiMe3)3) at metalloid [Ge9(Hyp)3]- clusters using phosphine stabilized Au(I)Cl

We present two new intermetalloid cluster compounds [(nBu3P)AuGe9(Hyp)2Au(PnBu3)]2 (1) and [Au(iPr2POC6H4OPiPr2)AuGe9(Hyp)2]2 (2) which are obtained from the reaction of KGe9(Hyp)3 (Hyp = Si(SiMe3)3) with respective Au(I) phosphine precursors. The products...

Ge14Br8-xClx(PEt3)4: Insight into the Reaction Route to Metalloid Clusters of Germanium

The isolation of the germanium mixed halide cluster Ge₁₄Br_8-xCl_x(PEt₃)₄ (2) by the reaction of a metastable Ge^IBr solution (toluene/PEt₃) with GeCl₂·dioxane provides new insights into the complex formation mechanism of metalloid germanium clusters through the disproportionation reaction of Ge^IX (X = Cl and Br). It is shown that the Ge^II halide is involved in at least two steps in the build-up reaction of 2. The molecular structure of 2 is presented together with a plausible reaction mechanism leading to the binary cluster Ge₁₄Br₈(PEt₃)₄ and future aspects of these findings.

(thf)2Ln(Ge9{Si(SiMe3)3}3)2 (Ln = Eu, Sm): the first coordination of metalloid germanium clusters to lanthanides

We report the synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of the first rare earth complexes of metalloid group 14 clusters [(thf)2Ln(Ge9Hyp3)2] (Ln = Eu, Sm, Hyp = Si(SiMe3)3). X-Ray crystallographic analysis and DFT calculations reveal a novel η2-coordination mode of the Ge9Hyp3 units and a slight distortion of the Ge9 cage.

FLP-type nitrile activation and cyclic ether ring-opening by halo-borane nonagermanide-cluster Lewis acid-base pairs

Even though homoatomic nine-atom germanium clusters are known for two decades, their chemical properties are still rarely investigated. We now discovered that Zintl ion main group-element clusters possess a reactive lone pair of electrons, and we show a new pathway to bind ligands with functional groups to the [Ge₉] cluster core through Ge-C bond formation. We report on the reactivity of [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂]^2- (TMS = trimethylsilyl) towards a series of Lewis acidic bromo-boranes. The reaction of [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂]^2- and DAB ^o-tol-Br (DAB = 1,3,2-diazaborolidine; o-tol = 2-methylphenyl) resulted, depending on the reaction protocol, either in the formation of [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂DAB ^o-tol]^- (1a) with direct Ge-B interactions, or in [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂(CH₂)₄O-DAB ^o-tol]^- (2a) featuring a ring-opened thf moiety. Ring opening reactions occur for all bulkier DAB^R-Br [R: o-xyl (2,6-dimethylphenyl), Mes (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl), Dipp (2,6-diisopropylphenyl)], DAB(ii)^Dipp-Br and acyclic ( ⁱ Pr₂N)₂BBr without Ge-B bond formation as shown for the structural characterization of the ring-opened products of thf (3, 4) and trimethylene oxide (5). In contrast to thf, the activation of CH₃CN requires the simultaneous presence of Lewis-acid and Lewis-basic reactants allowing the formation of [Ge₉{Si(TMS)₃}₂CH₃C[double bond, length as m-dash]N-DAB^Mes]^- (6a). Within the presented compounds, 3 and 4 show an unusual substitution pattern of the three ligands at the [Ge₉] core in the solid state. The [Ge₉] cluster/borane systems correspond to intermolecular frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs), in which the [Ge₉] cluster with several lone pairs represents the Lewis base, and the borane is the Lewis acid.