Oxidative Addition of Diethylchalcogenanes to Lappert's Germylene and Stannylene

Oxidative addition of diethyldichalcogenanes Et2E2 (E = S, Se, Te) to bis[bis(trimethylsilyl]amido]germylene and -stannylene M[N(SiMe3)2]2 (M = Ge, Sn) proceed with formation of the corresponding bis(ethylchalcogenato)germanes (Me3Si)2N)2Ge(EEt)2 [E = S (1), Se (2), Te (3)] and -stannanes (Me3Si)2N)2Sn(EEt)2 [E = S (4), Se (5), Te (6)]. The solid state structures of 1–6 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.