A new synthesis of divalent group 4B alkyls M[CH(SiMe3)2]2(M = Ge or Sn), and the crystal and molecular and molecular strcuture of the tin compound

Reaction of 2LiR [R =(Me3Si)2CH] and M[N(SiMe3)2]2 affords a new route to SnR2 and also the isolation of the yellow, crystalline, volatile, and diamagnetic GeR2; X-ray single crystal analysis of the former shows a dimeric centrosymmetric structures with l(Sn-Sn)= 2·76 Å, ∠Sn–Sn–C (mean)= 115°, and ∠C–Sn–C = 112°.