Camouflaged Carborarods Derived fromB-Permethyl-1,12-diethynyl-para- andB-Octamethyl-1,7-diethylnyl-meta-carborane Modules

Metal-catalyzed cross-coupling chemistry with polyhedral boranes

Over the past several decades, metal-catalyzed cross-coupling has emerged as a very powerful strategy to functionalize carbon-based molecules. More recently, some of the cross-coupling methodologies have been adapted to inorganic compounds including boron-rich clusters. The development of this chemistry relies on the ability to synthesize halogenated boron-rich clusters which can serve as electrophilic cross-coupling partners with nucleophilic substrates in the presence of a metal catalyst. While the cross-coupling chemistry with boron-clusters is conceptually reminiscent of that of its hydrocarbon counterparts, several key aspects including the spheroidal bulk of clusters and the distinct nature of boron-halogen/boron-heteroatom bonds make this chemistry unique. The utility of metal-catalyzed cross-coupling can be extended to several classes of polyhedral boranes including neutral and anionic carboranes, metallaboranes, and carbon-free boranes. Importantly, cross-coupling enables a suite of boron-heteroatom (C, N, O, P, S) couplings to prepare boron cluster-based systems that can be used for ligand design, medicinal chemistry, and materials applications.

The 12-ethynylmonocarba-closo-dodecaborate anion as a versatile ligand for Cu(i) alkyne and heterobimetallic Cu(i)/M(ii) (M = Pd, Pt) alkynide complexes

The anionic 12-ethynyl-monocarba-closo-dodecaborate cluster is employed as a ligand for the preparation of Cu(i) and heterobimetallic Cu(i)/Pd(ii) or Cu(i)/Pt(ii) complexes.

Synthesis of closo- and nido-biscarboranes with rigid unsaturated linkers as precursors to linear metallacarborane-based molecular rods

Several biscarborane-type derivatives of 8-iodo-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (1), suitable as the precursors of linear metallacarborane-based molecular rods, were prepared. The synthesized closo-compounds contained two carborane moieties connected through a rigid linear unsaturated linker. The linkers were based on ethynylene and para-phenylene fragments and their combinations. The deboronation of all reported closo-compounds was selective and afforded nido-products with open pentagonal faces on opposite sides of the molecule, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the main molecular axis. All of the closo and nido products were characterized by a variety of physical methods (NMR, HRMS, IR). The structures of closo-carboranes 3, 6, 9, and 14 and nido-carboranes 15 and 17 were established by X-ray diffraction.

Synthesis and characterization of nanosized polycarboranyl-porphyrazine conjugates

The synthesis and characterization of a highly boronated porphyrazine, 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octakis-[6-(2-(1′-methyl-1′,2′-dicarba-closo-dodecaboran-2′ -yl)hexyl)-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaboran-1-yl)hexylthio] 5,10,15,20 (21H, 23H) porphyrazine (H2(MCHE)CHESPz), is reported. This nanosized molecule bears eight dicarboranyl-substituted carborarod-like alkyl pendants and, as such, represents a rare example, if any, of a tetrapyrolic system bearing 160 boron atoms per molecule, corresponding to 40% boron content by weight.

Reversal of Stability on Metalation of Pentagonal-Bipyramidal (1-MB6H72-,1-M-2-CB5H71-,and 1-M-2,4-C2B4H7) and Icosahedral (1-MB11H122-,1-M-2-CB10H121-,and 1-M-2,4-C2B9H12) Boranes (M = Al, Ga, In, and Tl): Energetics of Condensation and Relationship to Binuclear Metallocenes

The usual assumption of the extra stability of icosahedral boranes (2) over pentagonal-bipyramidal boranes (1) is reversed by substitution of a vertex by a group 13 metal. This preference is a result of the geometrical requirements for optimum overlap between the five-membered face of the ligand and the metal fragment. Isodesmic equations calculated at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level indicate that the extra stability of 1-M-2,4-C(2)B(4)H(7) varies from 14.44 kcal/mol (M = Al) to 15.30 kcal/mol (M = Tl). Similarly, M(2,4-C(2)B(4)H(6))(2)(1-) is more stable than M(2,4-C(2)B(9)H(11))(2)(1-) by 9.26 kcal/mol (M = Al) and by 6.75 kcal/mol (M = Tl). The preference for (MC(2)B(4)H(6))(2) over (MC(2)B(9)H(11))(2) at the same level is 30.54 kcal/mol (M = Al), 33.16 kcal/ mol (M = Ga) and 37.77 kcal/mol (M = In). The metal-metal bonding here is comparable to those in CpZn-ZnCp and H(2)M-MH(2) (M= Al, Ga, and In).

p-Carborane: A New Cage Spacer for Photoactive Metal Polypyridine Dyads

The first example of a binuclear ruthenium complex involving the p-carborane framework in the bridging ligand is reported. The bridging ligand is a symmetric linear array comprising a central p-carborane unit, two p-phenylene spacers, and two 5-yl-2,2'-bipyridine coordinating units. A homobinuclear Ru(II) complex, with 2,2'-bipyridine as peripheral ligands, was synthesized and characterized. The Ru(II)-Ru(III) mixed-valence species, obtained by partial oxidation, has been investigated with steady-state and time-resolved techniques in CH3CN. The rate of photoinduced electron transfer is 2.3 x 10(8) s(-1).

Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of 13-Vertex Carboranes and 14-Vertex Metallacarboranes

Syntheses, properties, and synthetic applications of 13-vertex closo- and nido-carboranes are reported. Reactions of the nido-carborane salt [(CH2)3C2B10H10]Na2 with dihaloborane reagents afforded 13-vertex closo-carboranes 1,2-(CH2)3-3-R-1,2-C2B11H10 (R = H (2), Ph (3), Z-EtCH=C(Et) (4), E-(t)BuCH=CH (5)). Treatment of the arachno-carborane salt [(CH2)3C2B10H10]Li4 with HBBr2.SMe2 gave both the 13-vertex carborane 2 and a 14-vertex closo-carborane (CH2)3C2B12H12 (8). On the other hand, the reaction of [C6H4(CH2)2C2B10H10]Li4 with HBBr2.SMe2 generated only a 13-vertex closo-carborane 1,2-C6H4(CH2)2-1,2-C2B11H11 (9). Electrophilic substitution reactions of 2 with excess MeI, Br2, or I2 in the presence of a catalytic amount of AlCl3 produced the hexa-substituted 13-vertex carboranes 8,9,10,11,12,13-X6-1,2-(CH2)3-1,2-C2B11H5 (X = Me (10), Br (11), I (12)). The halogenated products 11 and 12 displayed unexpected instability toward moisture. The 13-vertex closo-carboranes were readily reduced by groups 1 and 2 metals. Accordingly, several 13-vertex nido-carborane dianionic salts [nido-1,2-(CH2)3-1,2-C2B11H11][Li2(DME)2(THF)2] (13), [[nido-1,2-(CH2)3-1,2-C2B11H11][Na2(THF)4]]n (13a), [[nido-1,2-(CH2)3-3-Ph-1,2-C2B11H10][Na2(THF)4]]n (14), [[nido-1,2-C6H4(CH2)2-1,2-C2B11H11][Na2(THF)4]]n (15), and [nido-1,2-(CH2)3-1,2-C2B11H11][M(THF)5] (M = Mg (16), Ca (17)) were prepared in good yields. These carbon-atom-adjacent nido-carboranes were not further reduced to the corresponding arachno species by lithium metal. On the other hand, like other nido-carborane dianions, they were useful synthons for the production of super-carboranes and supra-icosahedral metallacarboranes. Interactions of 13a with HBBr2.SMe2, (dppe)NiCl2, and (dppen)NiCl2 gave the 14-vertex carborane 8 and nickelacarboranes [eta5-(CH2)3C2B11H11]Ni(dppe) (18) and [eta5-(CH2)3C2B11H11]Ni(dppen) (19), respectively. All complexes were fully characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses. Some were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.

Synthesis and characterization of binuclear half-sandwich metal (Co, Ir and Ru) complexes containing ancillary ortho-carborane-1,2-dithiolato ligands

The assembly of soluble, air-stable, binuclear structures, namely {(p-cymene)Ru[S(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)(micro-pyz), {Cp*Co[S(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)(micro-pyz), {Cp*Co[S(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)(micro-bpy), {Cp*Co[S(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)(micro-bpe) and {Cp*Ir[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)(micro-bpo) (E = S (), Se), in which organometallic units are bridged by pyridyl-based organic linkers, are synthesized. The complexes have been fully characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis. The molecular structures are established through X-ray crystallography.