Phenylgermane, benzylgermane and p-tolylgermane were obtained by reduction of the corresponding organotrichlorgermanes prepared by organomercuration reactions of germanium tetrachloride. Phenylgermane was also prepared by the reaction of germyl bromide with phenyllithium, and p-digermylbenzene, with p-bromogermylbenzene, by reaction of germyl bromide with the exchange products from the reaction of n-butyllithium and p-dibromobenzene. The effectiveness of the reagent sodium germyl (and potassium germyl) was investigated in reactions with methylene chloride and bromide for the preparation of digermylmethane, which was also made by reduction of bis(trichlorogermyl)methane prepared from cesium trichlorogermanate(II). The usefulness of the halogenation of germane by carbon tetrachloride and tetrabromide, and methyl and hydrogen bromide, for the preparation of germyl chloride and bromide was investigated. Vibrational assignments were made to characteristic bands in the infrared spectra of the new aromatic germanium hydrides and some chloro derivatives. Ion fragmentation patterns were examined. The proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the organogermanium hydrides and chloro derivatives were interpreted on the basis of the existence of germanium-aromatic ring (p → d) π bonding, but this effect was not very important for the interpretation of the ultraviolet spectra. Calculation of the energy levels of toluene, phenylsilane and phenylgermane by the Extended Hückel method and comparison with ultraviolet spectral data indicated that (p → d) π bonding was important only in phenylsilane. / French abstract, if available fr

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McGill University. / Typewritten MS.

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available via World Wide Web.

Single-molecule electronics is an emerging subfield of nanoelectronics where the ultimate goal is to use individual molecules as the active components in electronic circuitry. Over the past century, chemists have developed a rich understanding of how a molecule’s structure determines its electronic properties; transposing the paradigms of chemistry into the design and understanding of single-molecule electronic devices can thus provide a tremendous impetus for growth in the field. This dissertation describes how we can harness the principles of organosilicon and organogermanium chemistry to control charge transport and function in single-molecule devices. We use a scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction (STM-BJ) technique to probe structure-conductivity relationships in silicon- and germanium-based wires. Our studies ultimately demonstrate that charge transport in these systems is dictated by the conformation, conjugation, and bond polarity of the σ-backbone. Furthermore, we exploit principles from reaction chemistry such as strain-induced Lewis acidity and σ-bond stereoelectronics to create new types of digital conductance switches. These studies highlight the vast opportunities that exist at the intersection between chemical principles and single-molecule electronics. Chapter 1 introduces the fields of single-molecule electronics, silicon microelectronics, and physical organosilane chemistry and our motivation for bridging these three worlds. Chapters 2-6 elaborate on the specific approach taken in this dissertation work, which is to deconstruct the molecular wire into three structural modules – the linker, backbone, and substituent – then synthetically manipulate each component to elucidate fundamental conductance properties and create new types of molecular conductance switches. Chapter 2 describes the first single-molecule switch that operates through a stereoelectronic effect. We demonstrate this behavior in permethyloligosilanes with methylthiomethyl electrode linkers; the strong σ-conjugation in the oligosilane backbone couples the stereoelectronic properties of the sulfur-methylene σ-bonds that terminate the molecule. Chapter 3 describes the electric field breakdown properties of C-C, Si-Si, Ge-Ge, Si-O, and Si-C bonds. The robust covalent linkage that the methylthiol endgroup forms with the electrodes enables us to study molecular junctions under high voltage biases. Chapter 4 unveils a new approach for synthesizing atomically discrete wires of germanium and presents the first conductance measurements of molecular germanium. Our findings show that germanium and silicon wires are nearly identical in conductivity at the molecular scale, and that both are much more conductive than aliphatic carbon. Chapter 5 describes a series of molecular wires with π–σ–π backbone structures, where the π–moiety is an electrode–binding thioanisole ring and the σ–moiety is a triatomic α–β–α chain composed of C, Si, or Ge atoms. We find that placing heavy atoms at the α–position decreases conductance, whereas placing them at the β–position increases conductance. Chapter 6 demonstrates that silanes with strained substituent groups can couple directly to gold electrodes. We can switch off the high conducting Au-silacycle interaction by altering the environment of the electrode surface. These chapters outline new molecular design concepts for tuning conductance and incorporating switching functions in single–molecule electrical devices.

Chapter 1 describes the reactivities of bisgermavinylidene [(Me 3SiN=RPh2)2C=Ge→Ge=C(PPh2=NSiMe 3)2] (25). With the use of CpMnCO2(THF), Mn2(CO)10 and group 11 metal halides, manganese-germavinylidene complexes and germavinylidyl group 11 metal complexes were prepared respectively. Radical reaction of 25 with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine N-oxide affords [(Me3SiN=RPh2)2C=Ge(ONCMe2C 3H6CMe2)2] (40). Cycloadditon reactions of 25 were studied. The reaction of 25 with benzil, azobenzene or 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone affords [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2C=Ge{O(Ph)C=C(Ph)O}] (41), [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2C=Ge( o-C6H4NHNPh)](42) and [(Me 3SiN=PPh2)2C=Ge=C-(PPh2=NSiMe 3)2] (44), respectively. The C=Ge bond of 25 can undergo cycloaddition reactions with Me3SiN 3, Me3SiCHN2 or AdNCO (Ad = adamantly) to give [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2CGeN(SiMe3)N=N] (46), [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2C-GeN=NCH-SiMe 3] (48) and [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2 CGeN(Ad)C-O] (47), respectively. Furthermore, 1,2-addition products of rhodium(I) and tin(IV) complexes were prepared from the reaction of 25 with (cod)RhCl and (nBu) 3SnN3, respectively. The syntheses of bimetallic chlorides [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2(GcCl)CMn(mu-Cl)]2 (51) and [(Me3SiN=PPh2)2(GeCl)CFeCl] (52) are also reported. / Chapter 2 concerns the reactivities of bis(iminophosphorano)methanide tin(II) chloride [HC(PPh2=NSiMe3)2SnCl] ( 79). The reactivity of the lone pair in 79 was studied. The reaction of 79 with benzil or 3,5-di-tert-butyl- o-benzoquinone gives the corresponding cycloaddition products. Treatment of 79 with NaN3 or AgOSO2CF3 affords the corresponding substituted heteroleptic stannylenes. The reaction of 79 with W(CO)5THF gives an adduct [HC(PPh 2=NSiMe3)2(Cl)Sn→W(CO)5] ( 81). Compound 79 reacts with Fe{N(SiMe3) 2}2 to afford [HC(PPh2=NSiMe3) 2Fe(mu-Cl)]2 (86). Moreover, treatment of 79 with LiC≡CPh gives [HC(PPh2=NSiMe3) 2C(Sn)=C(Ph)Sn(C≡CPh)2]2 (87). / Chapter 3 deals with the preparation and characterization of group 14 bis(thiophosphinoyl) metal complexes. The newly developed ligand [(S=PPr i2CH2)2-C5H 3N-2,6] (126) undergoes metalation with nBuLi or (nBu)2Mg to afford the lithium complex [Li{(S=PPri 2CH)(S=PPi2CH2)C 5H3N-2,6}(Et2O)] (127) and magnesium complex [Mg(S=PPri2CH)2C 5H3N-2,6] (128), respectively. 1,3-Distannylcyclobutane and 1,3-diplumbacyclobutane were prepared from treatment of 126 with M{N(SiMe3)2}2 (M Sn, Pb) by the amine-elimination reaction. Furthermore, compound 127 reacts with GeCl2.dioxane or SnCl2 to afford digermylgermylene Ge[GeCl2{(S=PPr i2CH)(S=PPri 2CH2)C5H3N-2,6}]2 ( 131) and ionic tin(II) complex [{C5H3N-2,6-(CH 2PPri2=S)(CHPPr i2=S)}SN+][SnCl3 -] (134), respectively. / Chapter 4 describes the conclusion of the first three chapters. The future works of the first three chapters were also reported. / This thesis is focused on four areas: (i) the reactivities of bisgermavinylidene; (ii) the reactivities of bis(iminophosphorano)methanide tin(II) chloride; (iii) the synthesis of group 14 bis(thiophosphinoyl) metal complexes and (iv) conclusions and future works. / Kan, Kwok Wai. / "Aug 2007." / Adviser: Kevin W. P. Leung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: B, page: 1007. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

The synthesis of E- and Z-1,1,2,3-tetramethylsilacyclobutanes is described. Pyrolysis of either isomer at 398.2 °C provides the same products but in different amounts: propene, E- and Z-2-butene, allylethyldimethylsilane, dimethylpropylsilane, the respective geometric isomers, 1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane, 1,1, l-ethyldimethyl-2,2,2-vinyldimethyl-disilane and E- and Z-1,1,2,3,3,4-hexamethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane. Mechanisms involving di- and trimethylsilenes are described for disilane formation and rate constants of the elementary steps for the fragmentation reactions are reported. Photochemically generated dimethylsilylene in the hydrocarbon solution inserts into the cyclic Ge-C or Si-C bonds of 1,1-dimethylgerma- or silacyclobutane to produce 1-germa-2-sila- or 1,2-disilacyclopentane. The relative reactivities of 1,1-dimethylgerma- and silacyclobutanes toward the dimethylsilylene have been determined. The carbenoid resulting from the cuprous chloride catalyzed decomposition of diazomethane at 25 °C in cyclohexane reacts with 1,1-dimethylgermacyclobutane to give, surprisingly 1,1,5,5-tetramethyl-1,5-digermacyclooctane as the major product. The reactions of the carbenoid with 1,1-dimethylsilacyclobutane are described. The kinetics of gas phase thermal decomposition of 1,1-dimethylgermacyclobutane has been studied over the temperature range, 684 - 751 K at pressures near 14 Torr. The Arrhenius parameters for the formation of ethylene are k_1 (s^-1) = 10^(14.6 ± 0.3) exp (62.7 ± 2.9 kcal mol^-1/RT) and those for the formation of propene and cyclopropane are k_2 (s^-1) = 10^(14.0 ± 0.1 ) exp (60.4 ± 2.8 kcal mol^-1/RT). Static gas phase pyrolyses of 1,1-dimethyl-lsilacyclobutene, DMSCB, in the presence of a variety of alkenes and alkynes at 260 - 365 °C have been studied. Our experimental results suggest that under these conditions the DMSCB ring opens to 1,1-dimethyl-l-silabutadiene, which either recyclizes to DMSCB or reacts with alkenes or alkynes in competing 4 + 2 and 2 + 2 cycloadditions.