Transition-metal—germanium bonds hydrogen

Treatment of Mo(II) , W(II) and Au(I) complexes with one equivalent of GeCl2 dioxane, in CH2CI2 at —78°C and subsequent wanning to room temperature, resulted in rapid and clean insertion of germylenes into the metal-hydrogen or metal-chlorine bond . This is a convenient route to synthesize functionalized transition-metal germanium compounds The reaction is exemphfied in equations 18 and 19. 

Germanium forms a wide range of compounds with hydrogen, silicon, the heavier group 14 elements, some main group metals, and transition metals. Catenated hydrides, Ge H2 +2, have already been discussed. The majority have carbon bonded to Ge and are included in the next article (see Germanium Organometallic Chemistry). 

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