Exploiting Electrostatics To Generate Unsaturation: Oxidative Ge=E Bond Formation Using a Non π-Donor Stabilized [R(L)Ge:](+) Cation.

The two-coordinate germanium cation [(IDipp){(Me3Si)2CH}Ge:](+) has been synthesized, which lacks π-donor stabilization of the metal center and consequently has a very small HOMO-LUMO gap (187 kJ mol(-1)). It undergoes a variety of facile oxidative bond-forming reactions, most notably allowing access to the first examples of Group 14 metal cations containing M=E multiple bonds (E = C, N). The use of an electrostatic (rather than purely steric) strategy to discourage aggregation means that less bulky systems (for example, containing a primary alkylidene fragment, =CHR) are accessible.