A Bis(germyliumylidene)silver(I) Complex Dication

The reaction of the 2,6-bis(imino)phenylchlorogermylene [LGeCl] (1, L = C-6 H-3-2,6-(HC=NtBu)(2)) with silver(I) trifluoromethanesulfonate (AgOTf) in a molar ratio of 2:3 in toluene afforded a mixture of the bis(germylene)silver(I) complex [{L(TfO)Ge}(2)Ag(OTf)] (2) and AgCl. Compound 2 was then reacted with 2 equiv of 1,3-dimethyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene (I-Me, :C{N(Me)C(Me)}(2)) in toluene to afford 3, which comprises the bis(germyliumylidene)silver-(I) complex dication [{L(I-Me)Ge}(2)Ag(OTf)](2+).Compounds 2 and 3 were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. [{L(IMe )Ge}(2)Ag(OTf)](2+) in compound 3 was further elucidated by DFT studies.