Group germanium hydrides

Similarly, the reactions of olefins with metal hydrides, such as silicon hydrides, germanium hydrides, tin hydrides and lead hydrides, were also found. These reactions are called hydrosilylation, hydrogeimanation, hydrostannation and hydroplumbylation, respectively. These reactions easily proceed even if the R in eq. (2.28) are functional groups. Then these reactions are conveniently used for syntheses of organometallic compounds having a functional group by a one-stage reaction. 

This review focuses on the kinetics of reactions of the silicon, germanium, and tin hydrides with radicals. In the past two decades, progress in determining the absolute kinetics of radical reactions in general has been rapid. The quantitation of kinetics of radical reactions involving the Group 14 metal hydrides in condensed phase has been particularly noteworthy, progressing from a few absolute rate constants available before 1980 to a considerable body of data we summarize here. 

These derivatives are useful because of the ability of group IV metals to give anions and especially of germanium which yields optically active germyllithiums from the corresponding hydrides with complete retention of configuration. ... 

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