reactions of vinyl-, styryl-, and benzyl-substituted digermanes were investigated by chemical trapping experiments. Photolysis of vinylpentamethyldigermane afforded 1-trimethyl-2-(pentamethyldigermyl)ethane as a major product, and styrylpentamethyldigermanes gave mainly styryltrimethylgermane. On the other hand, photolysis of benzyl-substituted digermanes (benzylpentamethyldigermane and 1,2-dibenzyltetramethyldigermane)
reactions of phenylsubstituted catenates of group 4B elements, PhMe2EE'Me2 (E,E' Si and Ge) have been investigated by chemical trapping experiments and lase flash-photolysis. On irradiation, the phenylated group 4B catenate undergoes E bond homolysis to give a pair of radicals (PhMe2E. and Me3'.). In CCl4, these radicals are converted to the corresponding chlorides by abstraction of a chlorine atom.
Charge-transfer spectra of permethylated polygermane-tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) complexes were observed. The frequency of charge-transfer spectra was linearly related to ionization potentials (or electrochemical oxidation potentials) of the polygermanes. Polygermanes inserted into TCNE to afford 1:1 adducts under mild conditions.