Synthesis of Iminoboryl o-Carboranes by Lewis Base Promoted Aminoborirane-to-Iminoborane Isomerization

The iminoboryl o-carboranes (Me₃Si)-Cb-B≡N-R (Cb = B₁₀C₂H₁₀, 3a, R = SiMe₃; 3b, R = ^tBu) have been successfully synthesized by tetrahydrofuran (THF)-promoted isomerization from the corresponding o-carborane-fused aminoboriranes Cb{BN(SiMe₃)R} (2). The synthetic protocol of the previously reported borirane 2a was optimized. The borirane Cb{BN(SiMe₃)^tBu} (2b) and the iminoboranes 3a and 3b were fully characterized by NMR, IR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The borirane 2a isomerizes more readily than 2b. The kinetics study revealed a bimolecular mechanism between borirane and THF, which is in good agreement with the computationally proposed reaction pathway. The title compounds are thermally robust, but compound 3a dimerized in the presence of a catalytic amount of ^tBuNC to give the cyclodimer 4. Quick equilibrium between 4 and the isonitrile adduct 4·^tBuNC was observed in solution.

Three types of charged ligand-based neutral phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes featuring nido-carborane: synthesis, structures, and solution processed organic light-emitting diode applications

In view of the fact that coordination configurations and special functional groups are both important for the optical properties of phosphorescent iridium complex materials, we have prepared a novel family of three types of charged ligand (0, -1, and -2) based neutral phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes (Ir1-Ir4) featuring nido-carborane. Single crystal structures indicate that complexes (Ir2, Ir3 and Ir4) with nido-carborane as a functional group at different substitution sites all show a trans-C^C configuration between dianionic (-2) and monoanionic (-1) ligands, which are different from the trans-N^C configuration in complex Ir1 with nido-carborane as a coordination skeleton, which has an interesting Ir-B coordination bond. Notably, Ir2, Ir3 and Ir4 all show obvious yellow light emission, while Ir1 does not emit light either in solution or in the solid state. DFT calculations demonstrate that complexes Ir2, Ir3 and Ir4 exhibit an unusual ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited state character due to the strong electron-donating character of nido-carborane. Considering its better solubility and luminescence properties, Ir3 was successfully applied in solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes and an effective yellow emission was achieved. This work provides a new strategy for the investigation of three types of charged ligand (0, -1, and -2) based phosphorescent iridium complex materials by constructing new dianionic ligands with nido-carborane.

A "flexible" carborane-cored luminogen: variable emission behaviours in aggregates

The performance of tunable emissions in aggregates is highly desirable but challenging owing to the restricted molecular conformations of luminogens. Herein, we designed and synthesized a new "flexible" luminogen, a carborane-cored compound NAPH, which exhibits variable photophysical behaviours in aggregates, such as aggregation-induced emission, crystallization-induced emission, polymorph-dependent emission, and mechanochromic luminescence. Moreover, the two polymorphs with different emission colors show opposite mechano-responsive luminescence, which is rarely observed for single-component luminescent materials. Both theoretical calculations and photophysical experiments reveal that the carborane-cored luminogen could afford variable conformations. This endows the whole molecule with multiple conformations in aggregates, thus leading to variable emission behaviours. Therefore, the present work provides new access to the construction of multifunctional single-component solid-state luminescent materials.