Insertion of a Cationic Metallogermylene into E-H Bonds (E = H, B, Si).

A cationic germylene containing tungsten and N-heterocyclic carbene units reacted with H2 in fluorobenzene at 60 °C, resulting in its insertion into the H-H bond. It also activated the Si-H bond of ethyldimethylsilane and the B-H bond of pinacolborane at ambient temperature to give the insertion products. The latter insertion reactions against hydrosilane and hydroborane were found to be reversible.