A novel synthesis of metallogermacyclopropane and molybdenum bis(iminophosphorano)carbene complexes from bisgermavinylidene

The reaction of bisgermavinylidene [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2C=Ge-->Ge=C(PPh2=NSiMe3)2] (1) with M(CO)5(THF) ( M = Cr, W, Mo) afforded the metallagermacyclopropane [(Me-3SiN=PPh2)2CGeM(CO)3[M(CO)5]] [M = W (2), Cr (3), Mo (4)]; in one of the reactions, compound 4 reacts further to give a "pincer" carbene complex [(CO)3Mo[C(Ph2P=NSi Me3)2]] (5); the X-ray structures of compounds 2 and 5 have been determined.