Reaction of a stable germabenzene with chalcogens: synthesis and structure of a novel germanium analog of pentathiepane, 1,2,3,4,5,6-pentathiagermepane

Treatment of a germabenzene (4) bearing a Tbt group (Tbt=2,4,6-tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl) with elemental sulfur gave a 1,2,3,4-trithiagermolane (5) together with a novel 1,2,3,4,5,6-pentathiagermepane (6), which is the germanium analog of pentathiepane. On the other hand, the reaction of 4 with elemental selenium gave only 1,2,3,4-triselenagermolane (7). All the newly obtained polychalcogenides containing a germanium atom were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of 5 and 6 were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. In addition, the thermolyses of 5 and 6 were examined.