Tethered Heavy Dicarbene Analogues: Synthesis and Structure of Ditetryldiyl Ethers (Ar′E)2(μ-O) (E = Ge, Sn; Ar′ = C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-iPr2)2)

Ditetryldiyl ethers (Ar′E)2(μ-O) (E = Ge, Sn; Ar′ = C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-iPr2)2) which contain a pair of two-coordinate Sn or Ge atoms were successfully prepared by the reaction of the corresponding dimetallylene (Ar′E)2 with 1 equiv of pyridine N-oxide. The tin oxide was found to cocrystallize with a hydroxide impurity: {Ar′Sn(μ-OH)}2. Structural determination revealed a slightly bent oxide E–O–E core (E = Ge, 154.8(1)°; E = Sn, 154.7(3)°) and a trans orientation of the Ar′ groups in each complex. The compounds were also characterized by NMR and electronic spectroscopy.