Organo-Zintl Clusters Soluble in Conventional Organic Solvents: Setting the Stage for Organo-Zintl Cluster Chemistry

Organo-Zintl cluster ions were synthesized by reactions of alkynes with Ge94- clusters in ethylenediamine. The triple bonds are hydrogenated to double bonds during the process. The resulting dial-kenylated species [RHCCHGe9CHCHR]2- have lower charge, their alkali-metal cations can be exchanged for tetralkylammonium cations, and the resulting compounds are soluble in nonpolar solvents. This was demostrated with [H2CCHGe9CHCH2]2-, which was structurally characterized with [K-(18-crown-6)]+, [Me4N]+, and [Pr4N]+ as countercations. The solubility of its salt with [Oc4N]+ in various conventional organic solvents was studied.