Effect of temperature on B(C6F5)3-catalysed reduction of germanium alkoxides by hydrosilanes – a new route to germanium nanoparticles

Abstract

Reduction of Ge(OBu)₄ with PhMe₂SiH catalyzed by B(C₆F₅)₃ at ambient temperature leads to GeH₄. We discovered that a higher temperature (above 100 °C) completely changes the reaction course by producing germanium nanoparticles (Ge NPs) in high yield. This process provides a simple one-pot method for Ge NPs synthesis from readily available substrates under mild conditions.