[Ge(H)(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 ] as Ligand Precursor at Ruthenium: Formation and Reactivity of [Ru(Cl){Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 }]

The germane [Ge(H)(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 ] ( 2 ) was synthesized by reaction of Li[Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 ] ( 1 ) with water. The presence of n BuBr led to the formation of [Ge( n Bu)(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 ] ( 3 ). The complex [Ru(Cl){Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 }] ( 4 ) was obtained by reaction of 2 with [Ru(Cl) 2 (PPh 3 ) 3 ] and NEt 3 . The ruthenium‐bound Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 moiety in 4 can be converted into a Ge(Cl)(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 2 fragment on treatment of 4 with a solution of HCl in diethyl ether to yield [Ru(Cl){Ge(Cl)(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 2 }(PPh 3 )] ( 5 ). The reaction of complex 4 with potassium hydride in an atmosphere of dihydrogen led to [Ru{Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 }(H)(H 2 )] ( 6 ). Complex 6 reacted with hydrazine to give [Ru{Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 }(H)(N 2 H 4 )] ( 7 ). With an excess of hydrazine, complex 6 catalyzed the disproportionation of hydrazine to produce ammonia and the ruthenium complex [Ru{Ge(2‐C 6 H 4 PPh 2 ) 3 }(H)(NH 3 )] ( 8 ).