Addition of Isocyanides to Tetramesityldigermene: A Comparison of the Reactivity between Surface and Molecular Digermenes

The reaction of benzyl isocyanide, tert-butyl isocyanide, and 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide with tetramesityldigermene (Mes2Ge=GeMes2) was examined. Whereas the addition of benzyl isocyanide gave the C−NC activation product, Mes2Ge(CH2Ph)Ge(CN)Mes2, tert-butyl isocyanide, and 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide did not give stable adducts, rather the rate of conversion of the digermene to the corresponding cyclotrigermane was accelerated. A comparison between the reactivity of the isocyanides with Mes2Ge=GeMes2 and the Ge(100)-2×1 surface was made and some insights into the surface chemistry are offered.