Complexes of germanium(IV) fluoride with phosphane ligands: structural and spectroscopic authentication of germanium(IV) phosphane complexes

The first phosphane complexes of germanium(iv) fluoride, trans-[GeF(4)(PR(3))(2)] (R = Me or Ph) and cis-[GeF(4)(diphosphane)] (diphosphane = R(2)P(CH(2))(2)PR(2), R = Me, Et, Ph or Cy; o-C(6)H(4)(PR(2))(2), R = Me or Ph) have been prepared from [GeF(4)(MeCN)(2)] and the ligands in dry CH(2)Cl(2) and characterised by microanalysis, IR, Raman, (1)H, (19)F{(1)H} and (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of [GeF(4)(diphosphane)] (diphosphane = Ph(2)P(CH(2))(2)PPh(2) and o-C(6)H(4)(PMe(2))(2)) have been determined and show the expected cis octahedral geometries. In anhydrous CH(2)Cl(2) solution the complexes are slowly converted into the corresponding phosphane oxide adducts by dry O(2). The apparently contradictory literature on the reaction of GeCl(4) with phosphanes is clarified. The complexes trans-[GeCl(4)(AsR(3))(2)] (R = Me or Et) are obtained from GeCl(4) and AsR(3) either without solvent or in CH(2)Cl(2), and the structures of trans-[GeCl(4)(AsEt(3))(2)] and Et(3)AsCl(2) determined. Unexpectedly, the complexes of GeF(4) with arsane ligands are very unstable and have not been isolated in a pure state. The behaviour of the germanium(iv) halides towards phosphane and arsane ligands are compared with the corresponding silicon(iv) and tin(iv) systems.