Products of the Vacuum-Ultraviolet Photolysis of Germane Isolated in an Argon Matrix

The vacuum-ultraviolet photolysis of germane and the four deuterogermanes isolated in an argon matrix at temperatures between 4 and 25°K produces significant concentrations of several reactive species. Absorptions at 1839, 1813, 928, and 850 cm−1 have been assigned to a pyramidal GeH3 molecule and those at 1887, 1864, and 920 cm−1 have been assigned to a nonlinear GeH2 molecule. Digermane and the products of its photolysis are also produced and contribute considerably to the infrared spectra in the region below 1000 cm−1.