A stable silagermene (tBu3Si)2Si=Ge(mes)2 (mes = 2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl): Synthesis,X‐ray crystal structure,and thermal isomerization

A stable silagermene, 1,1‐bis(tri‐tert‐butylsilyl)‐2,2‐bis(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)silagermene, was synthesized by the reaction of dilithiosilane (^tBu₃Si)₂SiLi₂ with dichlorodimesitylgermane. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic data and X‐ray crystallography, which showed the Si?Ge length to be 2.2769(8) Å. The silagermene underwent isomerization at 100?C to form the corresponding symmetrically substituted isomer (E)‐1,2‐bis(tri‐tert‐butylsilyl)‐1,2‐bis(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)silagermene. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 19:649–653, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20503