[PtZn 2 Ge 18 (Hyp) 8 ] (Hyp = Si(SiMe 3 ) 3 ): A Neutral Polynuclear Chain Compound with Ge 9 (Hyp) 3 Units

The reaction of [ZnGe (Hyp) ] (Hyp = Si(SiMe ) ) with Pt(PPh ) gives the neutral polynuclear complex of Ge (Hyp) units [HypZn-Ge (Hyp) -Pt-Ge (Hyp) -ZnHyp], 1. Within 1, the central Pt atom is bound η to both Ge (Hyp) units to which further ZnHyp units are bound again, symmetric η , to the other side of the Ge (Hyp) units, leading to the longest chain compound exhibiting Ge (Hyp) units that is known to date. Dissolved crystals of 1 give a violet solution, showing an absorption maximum around 543 nm. Further UV-vis investigations on different M Ge (Hyp) compounds show that the absorption maximum depends on the number of transition metal atoms bound to the Ge (Hyp) unit, which is supported by TD-DFT calculations.