Formation of Cup-Shaped Metallic Clusters via B−H Activation at the B(3)/B(6) Site of an ortho-Carborane-1,2-dichalcogenolato Ligand

Regioselective B-H/C-H activation and metal-metal bond formation induced by half-sandwich metals complexes at hydroxy-substituted o-carboranes

A binuclear iridium complex, (Cp2*Ir2(CH2O)C2B10H8) (6), with a unique metal-metal bond has been synthesized and fully characterized. Importantly, this complex is constructed via selective C-H and B(3)-H bond activation on the carborane precursor. Additionally, when the proligand (2-pyridine)(o-carboranyl)methanol ligand was combined with a half-sandwich iridium complex, selective B(6)-H bond activation or metal-carbon bond formation can be induced by the use of different bases. And the rhodium complex constructed from (2-pyridine)(o-carboranyl)methanol ligand containing a metal-carbon bond has been obtained and fully characterized.

Investigation into the reactivity of 16-electron complexes Cp#Co(S2C2B10H10) (Cp# = Cp, Cp*) towards methyl diazoacetate and toluenesulphonyl azide

A three-component reaction of the 16-electron half-sandwich complex Cp*Co(S₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀) (2) with both methyl diazoacetate (MDA) and toluenesulphonyl azide (TsN₃) led to the formation of complexes 3 and 4, while a two-component reaction of complex 2 with MDA afforded products 5–7.

Synthesis and reactivity of 4,5-[1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborano(12)]-1,3-diselenacyclopentane: opening of the icosahedron to give a zwitterionic intermediate and conversion into 7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate(1-)

The reaction of the 1,2-diselenolato-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane(12) dianion [1,2-(1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10))Se(2)](2-) with dichloromethane (CH(2)Cl(2) or CD(2)Cl(2)) in the presence of donor solvents gave 4,5-[1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborano(12)]-1,3-diselenacyclopentane, the title compound, which was characterized by X-ray structural analysis and NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (11)B, (13)C, and (77)Se). In the presence of pyridine, opening of the icosahedron took place, and a zwitterionic intermediate was isolated and fully characterized in the solid state by X-ray diffraction and in solution by multinuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Although such types of intermediates, prior to deboronation of the ortho-carborane cage, have been proposed several times, this is first example for which the structure has been confirmed unambiguously. This intermediate possesses a nido structure and contains a 7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate(1-) anion and a boronium cation, the latter with two pyridine rings linked to the boron atom, which has been extruded from the cage. It was shown that this process is reversible as long as the deboronation is not complete. The formation of the intermediate is accompanied by deboronation, which leads to the 7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate(1-) anion. The latter was prepared independently by conventional routes from the title compound, isolated as crystalline material as the tetrabutyl ammonium salt, and characterized by X-ray structural analysis and multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H, (11)B, (13)C, and (77)Se).

Construction of trinuclear iridium clusters through ancillary ortho-carborane-1,2-diselenolato ligands, with simultaneous iridium-induced B–H activation

The reaction of the 16-electron "pseudo-aromatic" complex Cp*Ir[Se2C2(B10H10)] (1, Cp* = eta5-C5Me5) with [Ir(cod)(micro-OC2H5)]2 leads to the trinuclear iridium complexes {(cod)Ir[Se2C2(B10H8)(OC2H5)]}Ir{[Se2C2(B10H10)]IrCp*} (2), {(cod)Ir[Se2C2(B10H8)(OC2H5)]}Ir{[Se2C2(B10H9)]IrCp*} (3), {Cp*Ir[Se2C2(B10H9)]}{IrSe(2)[C2(B10H9)(OC2H5)]}{[Se2C2(B10H10)] IrCp*} (4) and one mononuclear complex Cp*Ir[Se2C2(B10H8)(OC2H5)(2)] (5). The reactivity of 2 was investigated and revealed that transformation from 2 to 3 occurred thermally in solution. The transoid complex 2 (with the carborane diselenolato units in trans position) can be converted in nearly 90% yield to the cisoid complex 3. In complexes 2, 3, two diselenolato carborane ligands bridge the Ir(3) core, which consists of Ir-Ir metal bonds. Compared with transoid 2, the cisoid 3 contains two iridium-boron bonds. Complex 4 consists of three different coordination environment carborane ligands (Ir-B(cluster): {Cp*Ir[Se2C2(B10H9)]}, O-B(cluster): {[Se2C2(B10H9)](OC2H5)}, and intact carborane: {Cp*Ir[Se2C2 (B10H10)]}) without the presence of a metal-metal bond. Analogous reaction of 1 with [Ir(cod)(micro-OCH(3))](2) results in formation of the trinuclear complex {Cp*Ir[Se2C2(B10H9)]}{IrSe(2)[C2(B10H9)(OCH3)]}{[Se2C2(B10H10)]IrCp*} (6) and mononuclear complex Cp*Ir[Se2C2(B10H8)(OCH3)(2)] (7). The structures of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 have been determined by crystallographic studies.

Formation of direct metal–metal bonds from 16-electron “pseudo-aromatic” half-sandwich complexes Cp″M[E2C2(B10H10)]

Continuous study on preparation of multimetallic clusters is stimulated by their rich coordination chemistry and promising applications in a variety of interesting fields. Although numerous efforts have been devoted to this field, the rational design of homo- and hetero-multimetallic compounds with direct metal-metal bonding supported by 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane-1,2-dichalcogenolates will still be an important step forward. This tutorial review focuses on the synthetic approach via redox reactions between the pseudo-aromatic half-sandwich oraganometallic carborane precursors and low-valent transition metal reagents. The tailoring of reaction conditions and the structural information from the resulting products are discussed extensively.