Selective One-Pot Syntheses of Mixed Silicon-Germanium Heteroadamantane Clusters

Abstract

SixGey alloys are emerging materials for modern semiconductor technology. Well-defined model systems of the bulk structures aid in understanding their intrinsic characteristics. Three such model clusters have now been realized in the form of the SixGey heteroadamantanes [0], [1], and [2] through selective one-pot syntheses starting from Me2GeCl2, Si2Cl6, and [nBu4N]Cl. Compound [0] contains six GeMe2 and four SiSiCl3 vertices, whereas one and two of the GeMe2 groups are replaced by SiCl2 moieties in compounds [1] and [2], respectively. Chloride-ion-mediated rearrangement quantitatively converts [2] into [1] at room temperature and finally into [0] at 60 °C, which is not only remarkable in view of the rigidity of these cage structures but also sheds light on the assembly mechanism.