Synthesis and molecular and crystal structures of new cation-anionic hypervalent germanium complexes with 1,1,3,3-tetrakis(O—Ge)chelato-1,1,3,3-tetra(lactamomethyl)-1,3-digermoxane dications

The reaction of dichloride (L⁵)₂GeCl₂ with LiI·H₂O under conditions, which did not exclude exposure to atmospheric oxygen, as well as hydrolysis of chloride triflate (L⁷)₂Ge(Cl)OTf in the presence of Et₃N and of perchlorate (L⁵)₂Ge(Cl)OClO₃ by atmospheric moisture afforded cation-anionic complexes containing the digermoxane dications of the general formula [(L ⁿ )₂GeOGe(L ⁿ )₂]²⁺ (L ⁿ is a lactamomethyl n-membered bidentate C,O-coordinating ligand) with the triiodide, triflate, and perchlorate ions, respectively. According to the results of X-ray diffraction study, the digermoxane dications in these complexes contain two pentacoordinate Ge atoms each and occur as germylium ions stabilized by two OGe coordination bonds. In these complexes, the digermoxane dications are diastereomers in which the bischelate systems have opposite configurations.