Copolymers polygermanes, electrochemical synthesis

SCHEME 3. Electrochemical synthesis of a three-dimensional polysilane-polygermane copolymer 5... 

Soluble and weU-characterized polygermane homopolymers, (R Ge), and their copolymers with polysdanes have been prepared by the alkaH metal coupling of diorgano-substituted dihalogermanes (137—139), via electrochemical methods (140), and by transition-metal catalyzed routes (105), as with the synthesis of polysdanes. 

A magnesium sacrificial anode is also effective for the synthesis of Si-Ge and Ge-Ge bonds. This method is quite successful for the preparation of polygermanes and germane-silane copolymers [Eq. (49)] [183]. Polygermanes were also prepared by conventional electrochemical reduction of dihalogermanes using a Pt cathode and an Ag anode [184]. 

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