Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.48, No.3, 798-800, 2009
Cleavage of a N-H Bond of Ammonia at Room Temperature by a Germylene
The reaction of LGeCl [1; L = CH{(CMe)(2,6-(Pr2C6H3N)-Pr-i)}(2)] with 1,3-di-tert-butylimidazol-2-ylidene results in the formation of the germylene L'Ge [2; L' = CH{(C=CH2)(CMe)(2,6-(Pr2C6H3N)-Pr-i)(2)}]. 2 reacts with ammonia under N-H cleavage to give LGeNH2 (3). This type of reaction can also be used to activate primary amines. 3 is characterized by microanalysis, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray structural analysis. The single-crystal X-ray structural analysis indicates 3 to be a monomer, and the germanium atom shows a trigonal-pyramidal environment with a stereochemically active lone pair.