Synthesis of a germanium analogue of a dithiocarboxylic acid anhydride from the Ge( i ) pyridyl-1-azaallyl dimer

The reaction of pyridyl-1-azaallyl germanium(ii) chloride RGeCl () [R = {N(SiMe(3))C(Ph)C(SiMe(3))(C(5)H(4)N-2)}] with lithium metal afforded the dimeric germanium(i) compound [(RGe)(2)] (); compound reacts with an excess of elemental sulfur to afford the novel germanium analogue of a dithiocarboxylic acid anhydride [{Ge(S)R}(2)S] () via the insertion of elemental sulfur into the Ge(i)-Ge(i) bond followed by the oxidative-addition of elemental sulfur to the germanium(ii) centres.