title: Group 14 triple-decker cations.
abstract: The triple-decker cations trans-[(Cp*Sn)(2)(mu-eta(5):eta(5)-Cp*)](+) and trans-[(Cp*Pb)(2)(mu-eta(5):eta(5)-Cp*)](+) have been prepared and structurally characterized as their [B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) salts from the reactions of [Cp*M][B(C(6)F(5))(4)](M = Sn, Pb) with the appropriate decamethylmetallocene. Both triple-decker cations adopt a cisoid arrangement of terminal Cp* groups, whereas the two known triple-decker main-group anions possess a transoid arrangement of terminal Cp groups. The reason for this conformational difference has been probed on the basis of DFT calculations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Alan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cowley
authors.forename: Charles L B
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Macdonald