Reaction of germanium tetrachloride with chloro(phenyl)silanes in the presence of aluminum chloride

Article abstract of DOI:10.1007/s11176-005-0336-5

The effect of the quantity of aluminum chloride on the direction and depth of reaction of germanium tetrachloride with chloro(phenyl)silanes of the general formula Ph_nSiCl_4-n (n = 1 - 3) was studied to show that radical exchange between germanium and silicon is initiated only if the mixture contains no less than 2.5-5 wt % of aluminum chloride. With trichloro(phenyl)silane, the radical exchange is initiated at 5 wt % of aluminum chloride and results in exclusive formation of trichloro(phenyl)germane. The reactions of GeCl₄ with dichlorodiphenylsilane and chlorotriphenylsilane in the presence of 2.5-7.5 wt % of aluminum chloride give dichlorodiphenylgermane as the major product, and at AlCl₃ concentrations of above 10 wt % the major product becomes to be trichloro(phenyl)germane.