Tetramesitylgermasilene: The first relatively stable germasilene and its rearrangement to a silylgermylene

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om00059a001

The thermolysis of hexamesitylsiladigermirane (1) in the presence of triethylsilane at 105°C yields mesityl(triethylsilyl)(trimesitylsilyl)germane (3) and dimesityl(triethylsilyl)germane (4). Photolysis of 1 at -78°C in the presence of triethylsilane gave tetramesitylgermasilene, which upon warming rearranged by a 1,2-aryl shift to mesityl(trimesitylsilyl)germylene, which was then trapped by the silane.