Tetramethyldigermene, generated for the first time by pyrolysis of 1,4-diphenyl-2,3-benzo-7,7,8,8-tetramethyl-7,8-digermabicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene, was successfully trapped by [4+2] cycloaddition with anthracene and 1,1-dimethyl-2,5-diphenyl-1-silacyclopentadiene.
Photolysis of 7,8-digermabicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene (I) was studied by means of H-1-CIDNP and laser pulse photolysis techniques. It was found that photodecomposition of I occurs via germanium-centered 1,6-biradical species. 1,4-Diphenylnaghthalene and tetramethyldigermene are the primary products of the photolytic reaction. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.