Ge4Br4[Mn(CO)5]4 and Ge6Br2[Mn(CO)5]6: first germanium cluster compounds containing Mn(CO)5 ligands

Cluster compounds of germanium exhibiting germanium-germanium bonds, where the germanium atoms are additionally bound to transition metal ligands, are rare. Here a synthetic pathway to such cluster compounds is described, starting from metastable Ge I halide solutions leading to the two cluster compounds Ge4Br4Mn(CO)5]4 and Ge6Br2Mn(CO)5]6, being the first examples of germanium cluster compounds bearing Mn(CO)5 ligands. The Ge6 compound exhibits a novel arrangement of germanium atoms that has not been previously observed in ligand stabilized cluster compounds of germanium, neither with organic nor with transition metal ligands. The bonding situation inside the cluster compounds is discussed, together with a possible reaction pathway that opens the way to metalloid cluster compounds of germanium exhibiting Mn(CO)5 ligands.