Ge14 Br8 (PEt3 )4 : A Subhalide Cluster of Germanium.

Heating a metastable solution of GeI Br to room temperature led to the first structurally characterized metalloid subhalide cluster Ge14 Br8 (PEt3 )4 (1). Furthermore 1 can be seen as the first isolated binary halide cluster on the way from GeI Br to elemental germanium, giving insight into the complex reaction mechanism of its disproportionation reaction. Quantum chemical calculations further indicate that a classical bonding situation is realized within 1 and that the last step of the formation of 1 might include the trapping of GeBr2 units.