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Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups
Published on: February 11, 2012
Isolation and reactivity of an alkyl-substituted germanium(I) radical anion
Chenting Yan1, Yanxue Bi2, Nanfeng Zhou2
1Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China. yanchenting@hznu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
The isolation of low-valent main group radical species remains a fundamental challenge in synthetic chemistry due to their intrinsic instability. Herein, we report the successful isolation and full characterization of an alkyl-substituted germanium(I) radical anion predominantly stabilized by steric protection with minimal electronic perturbation. This radical anion exhibits thermal stability in both the solid state and in solution at ambient temperature, enabling thorough structural, spectroscopic and reactivity investigations. EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculations consistently verify predominant localization of the unpaired electron at the germanium center. Furthermore, the Ge(I) radical anion presents unique radical reactivity patterns demonstrating by its reactivity investigation. This work represents a rare example of an isolable low-valent group 14 radical species.
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