Synthesis and Characterization of an Amidinate-Stabilized Siladithiocarboxylate and Its Germanium(II) Complex

The synthesis and characterization of the amidinate-stabilized potassium siladithiocarboxylate [{LSi(S)(2)}K (THF)(2)](2) (2, L = PhC(NBut)(2)) are described. Compound 2 was synthesized by the reaction of [LSiCl] (1) with two equivalents of elemental sulfur and KC8 in THF. X-ray crystallography and DFT calculations show that the Si-S bond lengths in 2 are intermediate between the Si=S double and Si-S single bond lengths. There is a weak electronic delocalization along the Si(S)(2) skeleton. Compound 2 underwent a salt elimination reaction with GeCl2 center dot dioxane to form [{LSi(S)(2)}(2)Ge:] (3), which contains two LSi(S)(2)(-) moieties chelating to the germanium(II) atom in an anisobidentate manner.