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Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups
Published on: February 11, 2012
Crystalline Germanium(I) and Tin(I) Centered Radical Anions
Li Feng Lim1, Martyna Judd1, Petra Vasko2
1Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.
Abstract:
An isostructural series of heavy Group 14 E(I) radical anions (Ge, Sn, Pb), stabilized by a bulky xanthene-based diamido ligand are reported. The radical anions were synthesised by the one-electron reduction of their corresponding E(II) precursor complexes with sodium naphthalenide in THF, yielding the radical anions as charge-separated sodium salts. The series of main group radicals have been comprehensively characterized by EPR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and DFT analysis, which reveal that in all cases, the spin density of the unpaired electron almost exclusively resides in a p-orbital of π symmetry located on the Group 14 center.
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