Redox flexibility in a germanium hydride manifold: hydrogen shuttling <i>via</i> oxidative addition and reductive elimination

We report the synthesis of a trimetallic mixed-valence Ge(i)/Ge(ii)/Ge(iii) trihydride, which presents a structural novel motif among systems of the type (XMH)(n) (M = group 14 metal). In terms of reactivity (Ar-NiPr2)GeGe(Ar-NiPr2)(H)Ge(Ar-NiPr2)(H)(2) can act as a source of both the Ge(ii) and Ge(iv) hydrides via Ge-H reductive elimination from the central metal centre involving two different regiochemistries.