A cyclic germadicarbene ("germylone") from germyliumylidene.

By employing the chelate dicarbene 1, the new chlorogermyliumylidene complex 2 could be synthesized and isolated in 95% yield. Dechlorination of 2 with sodium naphthalenide furnishes the unique cyclic germadicarbene 3 which could be isolated in 45% yield. Compound 3 is the first isolable Ge(0) complex with a single germanium atom stabilized by a dicarbene. Its molecular structure is in accordance with DFT calculations which underline the peculiar electronic structure of 3 with two lone pairs of electrons at the Ge atom.