Flash Communication: Multinuclear Zwitterionic Germylene with Ge4 Chain Motif

A multinuclear germylene complex 2 was afforded by reacting the ylide-like N -heterocyclic germylene LGe (L = CH{(C═CH 2 )(CMe)[N(Ar)] 2 }, Ar = 2,6- i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 ) ( 1 ) with GeCl 2 ·dioxane. Complex 2 features a unique Ge 4 chain skeleton, which was constructed via 1,4-addition between germylene and GeCl 2, followed by the assembly of fragments. X-ray structural analysis and theoretical calculations illustrate the Ge–Ge bonding interaction and a zwitterionic character.