The influence of the FeCp(CO) moiety on the dynamics of the metalloid [Ge(Si(SiMe))] cluster in thf: synthesis and characterization by time-resolved absorption spectroscopy

A neutral tetrasubstituted Ge 9 cluster with a covalently bound transition metal substituent was synthesized successfully via a salt metathesis reaction. Photoexcitation of [Ge 9 (Si(SiMe 3 ) 3 ) 3 FeCp(CO) 2 ] induces excited state dynamics of the compound that was analysed by extended broadband fs absorption spectroscopy in the UV-Vis-NIR region. After UV or Vis excitation, an electron is detached from the [Ge 9 (Si(SiMe 3 ) 3 ) 3 ] − -entity and localizes within few hundred fs. Recombination of this cluster-electron-pair occurs in about 7-9 ps. Finally, a third component can be attributed to complete ground state recovery within roughly 150 ps. This is much shorter compared to a longer-lived component within Li[Ge 9 (Si(SiMe 3 ) 3 ) 3 ], whose transient absorption exceeds the ns timescale after UV excitation. This observation emphasizes a strong influence of the Fe moiety. Photoexcitation of a newly synthesized, neutral tetrasubstituted Ge 9 cluster with a covalently bound transition metal substituent led to a complete ground state recovery within 150 ps indicating the strong influence of the Fe moiety.