Synthesis of polymetallacycloalkanes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(92)80222-J

In the reduction of a mixture of an organosilicon or organogermanium dihalide and 1,4-dibromo-2,3-bis(bromomethyl)-2-butene with an alkali metal forming hexahydrodimetallapentalenes, best yields were obtained by using lithium in ether/tetrahydrofuran.This reaction, when extended to 1,2-dichloro-disilanes and -digermanes gave the corresponding tetrametallaoctahydronaphthalenes.When activated zinc was used instead of alkali metal in these reactions, bis(methylene)metallacycloalkanes were formed; their reactions with germanium diiodide gave bicyclic compounds with two or three metal atoms per molecule.A stepwise reaction gave chains of organogermanium bicyclic compounds of controlled length.