title: [Si(SiMe3)3]6Ge18M (M = Zn, Cd, Hg): neutral metalloid cluster compounds of germanium as highly soluble building blocks for supramolecular chemistry.
abstract: Very recently it was shown that the metalloid cluster compound {Ge(9)[Si(SiMe(3))(3)](3)}(-) can be used for subsequent reactions as the shielding of the cluster core is rather incomplete. So the reaction of with M(+) sources of group 11 metals gives metalloid cluster compounds of the formulae {MGe(18)[Si(SiMe(3))(3)](6)}(-) (M = Au, Ag, Cu). These reactions can be seen as first steps into a supramolecular chemistry with metalloid cluster compounds. However, further build-up reactions lead to insoluble products, thus better soluble starting materials are needed for further build-up reactions. Here the first neutral MGe(18)[Si(SiMe(3))(3)](6) (M = Hg, Cd, Zn) compounds are described, exhibiting a strongly enhanced solubility in inert solvents. Beside the synthesis, the structural properties as well as the bonding situations in these cluster compounds are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Anorganische Chemie der Universität Karlsruhe (TH), Engesserstr., Geb. 30.45, D-76128, Karlsruhe.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Henke
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnepf