Synthesis and characterization of germanium (IV) and silicon (IV) complexes derived from 9-hydroxyphenalenone: X-ray crystal and molecular structure of tris-(9-oxophenalenone)-germanium (IV) and silicon (IV) salts

The germanium (IV) and silicon (IV) complexes, tris-(9-oxophenalenone)-germanium (IV) tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) phenyl] borate (7(+)TFPB(-)) and tris-(9-oxophenalenotie)-silicon (IV) tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) phenyl] borate (8(+)TFPB(-)), derived from 9-hydroxyphenalenone have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectra and as well as by single crystal X-ray Study. The crystal structure of 7+TFPB- and 8+TFPB- shows a one-dimensional chain like structure and pi-overlap between the neighbouring phenalenyl planes. The cyclic voltammograms of 7(+)TFPB(-) and 8(+)TFPB(-) show three reversible oneelectron reduction steps due to the formation of the radical, anion and dianion as each phenalenyl moiety accepts an electron. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.