Oxidative Coupling of [Ge9(Si(SiMe3)3)2]2- with f Elements

Inorg Chem. 2022 Dec 19;61(50):20248-20252. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03971. Epub 2022 Dec 7.

Abstract

We report the reactions of K2[Ge9(Hyp)2] (Hyp = Si(SiMe3)3) with (thf)3YbI3, ThI4, and UCl4, leading to the oxidative coupling of the metalloid germanium cluster to form the dimeric dianion [Ge18(Hyp)4]2-. The novel dimerized Ge18-cluster was isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis as a component of ionic compounds [Yb(thf)6][Ge18(Hyp)4] (1) and [K(2.2.2-crypt)]2[Ge18(Hyp)4] (2) with two different counterions. The dihedral angle between two intact Ge9 cages depends on the counterions, which was also studied by quantum-chemical calculations.