RGe(I)Ge(I)R compound (R = PhC(NtBu)2) with a Ge - Ge single bond and a comparison with the gauche conformation of hydrazine

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om800714f

This article reports the reduction of the chloride [PhC(NtBu) ₂]GeCl with potassium in THF to afford the reddish crystals of [PhC(NtBu)₂]₂Ge₂ (2). The molecule of 2 contains a Ge-Ge bond. The X-ray structure and DFT calculation indicate that the Ge-Ge bond possesses an unusual gauche-bent geometry. The Ge - Ge bond length in 2 is 2.570 A, which is very close to the single Ge - Ge interaction (2.61 A) but significantly longer than that for typical digermenes, R ₂GeGeR₂ (2.21 -2.51 A) and the two structurally characterized digermynes (2.2850 A and 2.2060 A), which proves that there is no multiple bond character in 2.