Abstract

Germanium forms both a difluoride and a tetrafluoride as well as stable trifluorogermanite and hexafluorogermanite ions. Germanium difluoride is a white solid with mp 110C. It can be prepared by the reduction of GeF₄ by metallic Ge and by the reaction of stoichiometric amounts of Ge and HF. Germanium tetrafluoride is a gas that fumes strongly in air. It can be prepared by the thermal decomposition of BaGeF₆ or direct fluorination of Ge. GeF₄ is used in ion implantation to make semiconductor chips. It also acts as a Lewis acid to form complexes with many donor molecules.