Synthesis and Characterization of an Eclipsed Digermylene as a Building Block to Construct a Cyclic Octagermylene.

The preparation of an unprecedented Ge -Ge bonded digermylene [K {Ge (μ-κ :η :η -2,6-(2,6- Pr C H -N) -4-CH C H N) }] in an eclipsed conformation stabilized by two bridging diamidopyridyl ligands is presented. Although it exhibits an eclipsed conformation, the Ge-Ge bond length is 2.5168(6) Å, which is shorter than those in the trans-bent and gauche digermylenes. In combination with two pendant amido groups, the Ge motif is employed as a building block to assemble the first example of octagermylene [Ge (μ-κ :κ -2,6-(2,6- Pr C H -N) -4-CH C H N) ] showing a cyclic configuration and containing three distinct types of Ge -Ge bonds.