Matrix and ab initio infrared spectra of germanium carbonyls

Germanium monocarbonyl has been prepared by high-temperature vaporization of Ge with excess carbon powder or CO co-condensation and trapped in various matrices at 12 K. Fourier transform infrared spectra, ab initio (MP2 and CISD) and density function (Becke3LYP) calculations suggested a linear species with the formula GeCO. A weak feature appearing only in annealed N 2 and CO matrices containing GeCO has tentatively been assigned to germanium dicarbonyl on grounds of isotopic substitution and theoretical calculations. SCF and CI methods predict a bent structure for this complex.