A tetra-coordinate, square planar germanium(IV) cation [(TPFC)Ge](+) (TPFC = tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole) was synthesized quantitatively by the reaction of (TPFC)Ge-H with [Ph3C](+)[B(C6F5)4](¯). The highly reactive [(TPFC)Ge](+) cation reacted with benzene to form phenyl complex (TPFC)Ge-C6H5 through an electrophilic pathway. The key intermediate, a σ-type germylium-benzene adduct, [(TPFC)Ge(η(1)-C6H6)](+), was isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Deprotonation of [(TPFC)Ge(η(1)-C6H6)](+) cation led to the formation of (TPFC)Ge-C6H5. [(TPFC)Ge](+) also reacted with ethylene and cyclopropane in benzene at room temperature to form (TPFC)Ge-CH2CH2C6H5 and (TPFC)Ge-CH2CH2CH2C6H5, respectively. The observed electrophilic reactivity is ascribed to the highly exposed cationic germanium center with novel frontier orbitals comprising two vacant sp-hybridized orbitals that are not conjugated to π-system. The three electron-withdrawing pentafluorophenyl groups on the corrole ligand also enhance the electrophilicity of the cationic germanium corrole.

A series of tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole (TPFC) tin(IV) and tin(II) complexes were prepared and studied by various characterization techniques including (1)H, (19)F, and (119)Sn NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The unusual 4-coordinate, monomeric, divalent tin(II) complex [(TPFC)Sn(II)](-) (2a) showed highly efficient reactivity toward alkenes and alkyl halides via a nucleophilic addition pathway leading to the quantitative formation of alkyl stannyl corrole compounds. DFT calculations confirmed the divalent nature of the tin center in 2a, and an NBO analysis showed about 99.99% Sn lone pair character, of which 83.6% was Sn 5s and 16.35% was Sn 5p character.

A rare tin–cobalt bond dissociates homolytically with accurately measured energetics, reversibly releasing a four-coordinate tin radical that catalyzes alkyne trimerization.