Synthesis of stable diphenyl-di(germylene) and diphenyl-di(plumbylene)

Reaction of the 3,3′,4,4′tetra(alkylamino) diphenyl 2 with 2 equiv of Ge[N(TMS)2]2 or Pb[N(TMS)2]2 lead to the formation of the rigid ditopic digermylene 3 and diplumbylene 4, respectively. The molecular structures of 3 and 4 have been determined by X-ray diffraction methods revealing intermolecular E⋯Ar (E = Ge, Pb) interactions.