Characterization of Germanium Nanoparticles from Arylgermanium Trihydrides

Germanium is a promising basis for nanomaterials due to its low toxicity and valuable optical and electronic properties. However, germanium nanomaterials have seen little research compared to other group 14 elements due to unpredictable chemical behavior and high costs. Here, we report the dehydrocoupling of o-tolylgermanium trihydride to amorphous nanoparticles. The reaction is facilitated through reflux at 162 °C and can be accelerated with an amine base catalyst. Through cleavage of both H₂ and toluene, new Ge-Ge bonds form. This results in nanoparticles consisting of crosslinked germanium with o-tolyl termination. The particles are 2-6 nm in size and have masses above approximately 3500 Da. The organic substituents are promising for further functionalization. Combined with strong absorption up to 600 nm and moderate solubility and air stability, there are numerous possibilities for future applications.