New synthetic routes to allylic germatranes

Allylic germatranes derived from triethanolamine can be prepared with moderate control of regioselectivity by two complementary routes. The first of these is through the preparation of the precursor allylic germanium trichlorides by a transmetallation reaction between germanium(IV) chloride and the corresponding allylic tributylstannanes followed by alcoholysis and reaction with triethanolamine. The second route is via the palladium-catalyzed hydrogermylation of conjugated dienes by germatrane, N(CH2CH2O)3GeH. The former route gives mixtures of E and Z stereoisomers, whereas the second route gives exclusively Z products.