New Vinylgermanium Derivatives of Silsesquioxanes and Their Ruthenium ComplexesSynthesis, Structure, and Reactivity

New vinylgermanium cubic derivatives of silsesquioxanes (i.e., monovinylhepta­(alkyl, phenyl)­germasilsesqiuoxanes and (dimethylvinylgermoxy)­heptaisobutylsilsesquioxanes) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The first ruthenium–germasilsesquioxyl complexes were also prepared via stoichiometric reaction of RuHCl­(CO)­(PPh3)3 with the above-mentioned vinylgermanium derivatives of silsesquioxanes, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic and X-ray analyses. The initial ruthenium complex as well as the above-mentioned Ge–Ru complexes were tested as catalysts, in the germylative coupling with olefins, and proved to be active in the case of (dimethylvinyl)­germoxyheptaisobutylsilsesquioxane but showed no activity toward vinylgermasilsesquioxanes. A general mechanism for the germylative coupling of the two vinylgermanium derivatives of silsesquioxanes is presented.