Preparations, structures and photolyses of peralkyldisilagermirane and peralkylgermadisilaoxetane

Abstract Three- and four-membered ring systems, peralkyldisilagermirane ([R 2 Si] 2 GeR′ 2 ( 1 )) and peralkylgermadisilaoxetane ([R 2 SiGeR′ 2 SiR 2 ]O ( 2 ) ( R = t BuCH 2 ; R ′ = Me 3 SiCH 2 )) respectively were synthesized and characterized. The structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The ring of GeSi 2 O ( 2 ) is almost planar. The photolysis of 1 and 2 using a mercury lamp ( λ = 254 nm) gave mainly disilene and disilaoxirane respectively with extrusion of germylene.