Mono- and digerma[
n]metallocyclophanes(
n = 1, 2)[(
6,
6'-dimethyldiphenylgermane)M](M = Cr,
17; V,
18),[(
6,
6'-tetraphenylgermane)M](M = Cr,
20; V,
21), and[(1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-1,2-di-
6,
6'-phenyldigermane)Cr](
24) were synthesized by means of lithiationand subsequent reaction with dichlorodimethylgermane ordichlorodiphenylgermane. Metal-ligand cocondensation of bromodimethylphenylgermane with chromium atomsfollowed byreductive coupling with lithium naphthalide gave the digermane complex
24. Additionally,the nonbridged derivatives[bis(trimethylgermyl-
6-benzene)M] (M = Cr,
10d; V,
11),[(trimethylgermyl-
6-benzene)(
6-benzene)Cr](
10m), and[bis(triphenylgermyl-
6-benzene)M](M = Cr,
14; V,
15) wereprepared and characterized by
1H- and
13C-NMR(
10m,
10d,
14,
17,
20), cyclic voltammetry (CV) (
10d,
11,
14,
15,
18,
21,
24), and EPR spectroscopy(
10d+,
11,
14+,
15,
18,
21,
24+). Crystals of
20 were subjected to a structure determinationbyX-ray diffraction, which disclosed a bending of the sandwich axis fromlinearity by 14.4
.The strain exerted on the coordinated benzene ring forces apyramidal structure on the ipso-Cleading to a
markedly shielded
13C-NMR resonance. AnEPR spectroscopic investigation ofthe vanadium derivatives reveals an increasing metal to ligand spindelocalization and theappearance of orthorhombic
g and
A tensors onbending the sandwich axis. While the redoxpotentials are virtually unaffected, when passing from the unstrainedvanadium complexes
11 and
15 to thegerma[1]vanadocyclophanes
18 and
21, the transient monocationicspeciesof the latter are destabilized dramatically. No evidence ofring-opening polymerization wasobserved on heating
18 to 165
C.Instead, metal-ligand cleavage occurs.