Lewis Base Mediated Autoionization of GeCl2 and SnCl2

Cationic and anionic species of heavier low-valent group 14 elements are intriguing targets in main group chemistry due to their synthetic potential and industrial applications. In the present study, we describe the synthesis of cationic (MCl+) and anionic (MCl3-) species of heavier low-valent group 14 elements of germanium(II) and tin(II) by using the substituted Schiff base 2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(2,6-diisopropylanil) as Lewis base (LB). Treatment of LB with 2 equiv of GeCl2 center dot dioxane and SnCl2 in toluene gives compounds [(LB)(GeCl)-Cl-II](+)[(GeCl3)-Cl-II](-) (1) and [(LB)(SnCl)-Cl-II](+)[(SnCl3)-Cl-II](-) (2), respectively, which possess each a low-valent cation and an anion. Compounds 1 and 2 are well characterized with various spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray structural analysis.