Chalcogeno[bis(phosphaalkenyl)] germanium and tin compounds

Inorg Chem. 2012 Jul 16;51(14):7782-7. doi: 10.1021/ic300810q. Epub 2012 Jun 29.

Abstract

The first diphosphaalkenylstannylene stabilized through complexation with a carbene NHC-Sn[C(Cl)═PMes*](2)1 (Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl; NHC = :C{N(iPr)C(Me)}(2)) was isolated and fully characterized including single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Its reaction with elemental sulfur rapidly gives the cyclic Sn(2)S(2) (dithiadistannetanne) derivative 3, presumably formed by dimerization of a stannathione intermediate. By contrast, its germanium analogue NHC-Ge[C(Cl)═PMes*](2)7 leads to the corresponding monomeric germathione 4 and germaselenone 5. The germaselenone was more stable than the germathione and could be structurally characterized. An unusual thermal cyclization reaction of the last one occurs with an excess of selenium to give the Ge(2)Se(3) (triselenadigermolane) ring derivative 6.