The structures and reactivity of NHC-supported copper(i) triphenylgermyls.

Deprotonation of triphenyl germane with NHC-supported copper alkoxides afforded four novel (NHC)CuGePh complexes. Of these, (IPr)CuGePh (IPr = :C{N(2,6-iPrCH)CH}) was selected for further investigation. Analysis by EDA-NOCV indicates it to be a germyl nucleophile and its σ-bond metathesis reaction with a range of p-block halides confirmed it to be a convenient source of [PhGe].