Reductive Elimination and Oxidative Addition of Hydrogen at Organostannylium and Organogermylium Cations.

Bulkily substituted organodihydrogermylium and -stannylium cations [ArEH ] (E=Ge, Sn; Ar=2,6-Trip C H , Trip=2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl) were characterized as salts of the weakly coordinating perfluorinated alkoxyaluminate anion [Al{OC(CF ) } ] . At room temperature, the stannylium cation liberates hydrogen to generate the low valent organotin cation [Ar*Sn] . In contrast, the dihydrogermylium cation transfers the hydrogen atoms to an aryl moiety of the terphenyl ligand and oxidatively adds either hydrogen under an atmosphere of hydrogen or a sp CH unit of the 1,2-difluorobenzene solvent.