SYNTHETIC, STRUCTURAL, AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF ORGANO-OLIGOGERMANES

Abstract

The hydrogermolysis reaction has been used to prepare a variety of linear and branched oligogermanes that have been fully characterized. The combination of a germanium hydride protection/deprotection strategy with the hydrogermolysis reaction allows for the addition of one or two germanium atoms to the Ge – Ge chain at a time in linear systems, or three germanium atoms at a time in the case of branched systems. The physical properties of both types of oligogermanes have been probed using UV/visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, and several of the experimental results have been complimented with theoretical investigations. The syntheses, structures, and properties of these oligogermanes are the foci of this review.

Keywords:

• 73Ge NMR Spectroscopy
• electrochemistry
• Germanium
• Oligogermanes
• spectroscopy
• X-ray crystal structures

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The efforts of current and former members of the Weinert group, including Dr. Monika L. Amadoruge, Dr. Christian R. Samanamu, Aaron C. Schrick, Kimberly D. Roewe, Erin K. Short, and Courtney R. Anderson, are gratefully acknowledged, as are those of our collaborators Prof. Arnold L. Rheingold (University of California San Diego), Prof. Claude H. Yoder (Franklin and Marshall College), Prof. James R. Gardinier (Marquette University), and Prof. Nicholas F. Materer (Oklahoma State University). Funding for this research has been provided by a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (Grant CHE-0844758).

Notes

^a Data are taken from reference.^{[ 6 ]}

^b Data are taken from reference.^{[ 8 ]}

^c Data are taken from reference.^{[ 12 ]}

^a Data taken from reference.^{[ 9 ]}