From Mono‐ to Poly‐Substituted Frameworks: A Way of Tuning the Acidic Character of Cc?H in o‐Carborane Derivatives

The incorporation of iodine atoms onto the boron vertices of the o‐carborane framework causes, according to spectroscopic data, a uniform increase in the acidic character of the C_c? H (C_c= cluster carbon) vertices, whereas the incorporation of methyl groups onto the boron vertices of the o‐carborane framework reduces their acidity. Methyl groups when attached to boron are electron‐withdrawing in boron clusters, whereas iodine atoms bonded to boron act as electron donors. This has been proven on B‐methyl and B‐iodinated o‐carboranes with NMR spectroscopy measurements and DFT calculations of natural bond orbital (NBO) charges, which show a cumulative buildup of positive cluster‐only total charge (CTC) on B‐methyl o‐carboranes and a cumulative buildup of negative cluster‐only total charge for B‐iodinated o‐carboranes.     

Competition between Halogen,Hydrogen and Dihydrogen Bonding in Brominated Carboranes

Halogen bonds are a subset of noncovalent interactions with rapidly expanding applications in materials and medicinal chemistry. While halogen bonding is well known in organic compounds, it is new in the field of boron cluster chemistry. We have synthesized and crystallized carboranes containing Br atoms in two different positions, namely, bound to C‐ and B‐vertices. The Br atoms bound to the C‐vertices have been found to form halogen bonds in the crystal structures. In contrast, Br atoms bound to B‐vertices formed hydrogen bonds. Quantum chemical calculations have revealed that halogen bonding in carboranes can be much stronger than in organic architectures. These findings open new possibilities for applications of carboranes, both in materials and medicinal chemistry.     

Synthesis of the First Example of the 12‐Vertex‐closo/12‐Vertex‐nido Biscarborane Cluster by a Metal‐Free B−H Activation at a Phosphorus(III) Center

An unusual 12‐vertex‐closo‐C₂B₁₀/12‐vertex‐nido‐C₂B₁₀ biscarborane cluster was synthesized through an unprecedented regioselective metal‐free B?H activation by a sterically hindered P^III center under mild conditions accompanied by cage‐opening rearrangement. A combination of the electron‐accepting properties of a carborane cage and steric enforcement of close interatomic contacts represent a new synthetic strategy for the activation of strong B?H bonds in carboranes.     

Borane Derivatives: A New Class of Super‐ and Hyperhalogens

Super‐ and hyperhalogens are a class of highly electronegative species whose electron affinities far exceed those of halogen atoms and are important to the chemical industry as oxidizing agents, biocatalysts, and building blocks of salts. Using the well‐known Wade–Mingos rule for describing the stability of closo‐boranes B_nH_n^2? and state‐of‐the‐art theoretical methods, we show that a new class of super‐ and hyperhalogens, guided by this rule, can be formed by tailoring the size and composition of borane derivatives. Unlike conventional superhalogens, in which a central metal atom is surrounded by halogen atoms, the superhalogens formed according to the Wade–Mingos rule do not have to have either halogen or metal atoms. We demonstrate this by using B₁₂H₁₃ and its isoelectronic cluster CB₁₁H₁₂ as examples. We also show that while conventional superhalogens containing alkali atoms require at least two halogen atoms, a single borane‐like moiety is sufficient to give M(B₁₂H₁₂) clusters (M=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) superhalogen properties. In addition, hyperhalogens can be formed by using the above superhalogens as building blocks. Examples include M(B₁₂H₁₃)₂ and M(CB₁₁H₁₂)₂ (M=Li–Cs). This finding opens the door to an untapped source of superhalogens and weakly coordinating anions with potential applications.     

1,3‐Dehydro‐o‐Carborane: Generation and Reaction with Arenes

Like the importance of benzyne, witnessed in modern arene chemistry for decades, 1,2‐dehydro‐o‐carborane (o‐carboryne), a three‐dimensional relative of benzyne, has been used as a synthon for generating a wide range of cage, carbon‐functionalized carboranes over the past 20 years. However, the selective B functionalization of the cage still represents a challenging task. Disclosed herein is the first example of 1,3‐dehydro‐o‐carborane featuring a cage C? B bond having multiple bonding characters, and is successfully generated by treatment of 3‐diazonium‐o‐carborane tetrafluoroborate with non‐nucleophilic bases. This presents a new methodology for simultaneous functionalization of both cage carbon and boron vertices.     

Two isostructural carboranes: 3‐phenyl‐1,2‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12) and 1‐phenyl‐1,7‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12)

Two phenyl‐substituted carboranes, 3‐phenyl‐1,2‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12), C₈H₁₆B₁₀, (I), and 1‐phenyl‐1,7‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12), C₈H₁₆B₁₀, (II), were found to be isostructural. Comparison of the bond angles at the ipso‐C atoms of the phenyl substituent for (I) and (II) [117.71 (3) and 118.45 (10)°, respectively] indicates that electron donation of the carborane cage for B‐ and C‐substituted carboranes is different.     

Some aspects of the chemical behavior of icosahedral carboranes

Abatract  Important features of the chemical behavior of icosahedral carboranes are considered. The ways of introducing functional groups at the carbon and boron atoms of carboranes by conventional methods of organic chemistry and methods applicable only to carboranes are discussed. The latter methods include transformations of dicarbadodecaborate(14) dianions. Examples of the enantiomeric resolution of optically active carboranes, whose chirality is associated with the molecular asymmetry, are given. The diversity of chemical transformations of carboranes is exemplified by intramolecular nucleophilic rearrangements, cross-coupling reactions, and the formation of chelate metallacycles. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 801–822, April, 2008.     

Simple Electrochemical Characterization of ortho‐Carborane and some of its exo‐Skeletal Derivatives

Electrochemical behaviour of 12 icosahedral carboranes – ortho‐, meta‐ and para‐carborane with different exo‐skeletal substituents was investigated. The study was done using phosphate buffers, in some cases with 20 % and 30 % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) addition to increase the solubility of studied compounds. Commercial glassy carbon electrode or home‐made screen printed electrodes were used. Distinct electrochemical responses were observed only for the ortho‐carborane and its exo‐skeletal derivatives. The study of different exo‐skeletal substituents on the electrochemical behaviour of the carboranes is crucial for the intended use of these compounds as electrochemical labels of biomolecules.     

Crystal Structures of the Carborane Dianions [1,4‐(PhCB10H10C)2C6H4]2− and [1,4‐(PhCB10H10C)2C6F4]2− and the Stabilizing Role of the para‐Phenylene Unit on 2 n+3 Skeletal Electron Clusters

While carboranes with 2 n+2 and 2 n+4 (n=number of skeletal atoms) skeletal electrons (SE) are widely known, little has been reported on carboranes with odd SE numbers. Electrochemical measurements on two‐cage assemblies, where two C‐phenyl‐ortho‐carboranyl groups are linked by a para‐phenylene or a para‐tetrafluorophenylene bridge, revealed two well separated and reversible two‐electron reduction waves indicating formation of stable dianions and tetraanions. The salts of the dianions were isolated by reduction with sodium metal and their unusual structures were determined by X‐ray crystallography. The diamagnetic dianions contain two 2 n+3 SE clusters where each cluster has a notably long carborane C–carborane C distance of ca 2.4 Å. The π conjugation within the phenylene bridge plays an important role in the stabilization of these carboranes with odd SE counts.     

Synthesis of Novel,Chiral Bicyclo[3.1.0]hex‐2‐ene Amino Acid Derivatives as Useful Synthons in Medicinal Chemistry

A short and concise synthesis of novel, chiral bicyclo[3.1.0]hex‐2‐ene amino acid derivatives 13 and 14 has been developed. The key step is a stereo‐ and regioselective allylic amination of exo‐ and endo‐methyl bicyclo[3.1.0]hex‐2‐ene‐6‐carboxylates 8 and 9 , which were prepared from 7,7‐dichlorobicyclo[3.2.0]hept‐2‐en‐6‐one ( 1 ). These amino acid derivatives are useful building blocks in medicinal chemistry and can be prepared as chiral compounds by using either (+)‐ 1 or (?)‐ 1 as starting material.     

Direct Nucleophilic Substitution Reaction of Cage B−H Bonds by Grignard Reagents: A Route to Regioselective B4‐Alkylation of o‐Carboranes

Direct nucleophilic substitution reaction of cage B−H bonds of o ‐carboranes by Grignard reagents in the absence of any transition metals has been achieved for the first time, and leads to the regioselective synthesis of a series of 4‐alkyl‐1,2‐diaryl‐o ‐carboranes in very high yields. The presence of two electron‐withdrawing aryl groups on the cage carbon atoms is crucial to realizing the reaction. The regioselectivity is controlled by both electronic and steric factors. This work represents a new strategy for the development of methods for carborane functionalization.     

Aggregation‐Induced Delayed Fluorescence Based on Donor/Acceptor‐Tethered Janus Carborane Triads: Unique Photophysical Properties of Nondoped OLEDs

Luminescent materials consisting of boron clusters, such as carboranes, have attracted immense interest in recent years. In this study, luminescent organic–inorganic conjugated systems based on o‐carboranes directly bonded to electron‐donating and electron‐accepting π‐conjugated units were elaborated as novel optoelectronic materials. These o‐carborane derivatives simultaneously possessed aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) capabilities, and showed strong yellow‐to‐red emissions with high photoluminescence quantum efficiencies of up to 97 % in their aggregated states or in solid neat films. Organic light‐emitting diodes utilizing these o‐carborane derivatives as a nondoped emission layer exhibited maximum external electroluminescence quantum efficiencies as high as 11 %, originating from TADF.     

Synthesis of Globular Precursors

o‐Carborane (C₂B₁₀H₁₂) was adapted to perform as the core of globular macromolecules, dendrons or dendrimers. To meet this objective, precisely defined substitution patterns of terminal olefin groups on the carborane framework were subjected to Heck cross‐coupling reactions or hydroboration leading to hydroxyl terminated arms. These led to new terminal groups (chloro, bromo, and tosyl leaving groups, organic acid, and azide) that permitted ester production, click chemistry, and oxonium ring opening to be performed as examples of reactions that demonstrate the wide possibilities of the globular icosahedral carboranes to produce new dendritic or dendrimer‐like structures. Polyanionic species were obtained in high yield through the ring‐opening reaction of cyclic oxonium compound [3,3′‐Co(8‐C₄H₈O₂‐1,2‐C₂B₉H₁₀)(1′,2′‐C₂B₉H₁₁)] by using terminal hydroxyl groups as nucleophiles. These new polyanionic compounds that contain multiple metallacarborane clusters at their periphery may prove useful as new classes of compounds for boron neutron capture therapy with enhanced water solubility and as cores to make a new class of high‐boron globular macromolecules.     

Li12Cu12.60Al14.37: a new ternary derivative of the binary Laves phases

New ternary dodecalithium dodecacopper tetradecaaluminium, Li₁₂Cu_12.60Al_14.37 (trigonal, Rm, hR39), crystallizes as a new structure type and belongs to the structural family that derives from binary Laves phases. The Li atoms are enclosed in 15‐ and 16‐vertex and the Al3 atom in 14‐vertex pseudo‐Frank–Kasper polyhedra. The polyhedra around the statistical mixtures of (Cu,Al)1 and (Al,Cu)2 are distorted icosahedra. The electronic structure was calculated by the TB–LMTO–ASA (tight‐binding linear muffin‐tin orbital atomic spheres approximation) method. The electron localization function, which indicates bond formation, is mostly located at the Al atoms. Thus, Al—Al bonding is much stronger than Li—Al or Cu—Al bonding. This indicates that, besides metallic bonding which is dominant in this compound, weak covalent Al—Al interactions also exist.     

o‐Carborane‐based Biphenyl and p‐Terphenyl Derivatives

The synthesis and properties of biphenyl‐ and p‐terphenyl‐fused o‐carboranes are described. Aryl rings in the biphenyl and p‐terphenyl skeletons are highly coplanar because of the presence of the o‐carborane unit. o‐Carborane exhibits an electron‐withdrawing character via the inductive effect, resulting in a decrease in both the HOMO and LUMO levels of oligophenyls without causing electronic perturbation.     

High Magnetic Moments in Manganese‐Doped Silicon Clusters

We report on the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of manganese‐doped silicon clusters cations, Si_nMn⁺ with n=6–10, 12–14, and 16, using mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy in combination with density functional theory computations. This combined experimental and theoretical study allows several structures to be identified. All the exohedral Si_nMn⁺ (n=6–10) clusters are found to be substitutive derivatives of the bare Si_n+1⁺ cations, while the endohedral Si_nMn⁺ (n=12–14 and 16) clusters adopt fullerene‐like structures. The hybrid B3P86 functional is shown to be appropriate in predicting the ground electronic states of the clusters and in reproducing their infrared spectra. The clusters turn out to have high magnetic moments localized on Mn. In particular the Mn atoms in the exohedral Si_nMn⁺ (n=6–10) clusters have local magnetic moments of 4 μ_B or 6 μ_B and can be considered as magnetic copies of the silicon atoms. Opposed to other 3d transition‐metal dopants, the local magnetic moment of the Mn atom is not completely quenched when encapsulated in a silicon cage.     

1,2‐, 1,7‐ and 1,12‐Dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12) Derivatives Revisited by 13C NMR Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations. First Observation of Isotope‐Induced Chemical Shifts 1Δ10/11B(13C), and the Signs and Magnitudes of Coupling Constants 1J(13C,13C) and 1J(13C,11B)

The origin of broadening of ¹³C(carborane) NMR signals of 1,2‐, 1,7‐ and 1,12‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaboranes(12) and several diphenylsilyl derivatives has been examined in detail and could be traced only partially to unresolved ¹³C–¹¹B spin‐spin coupling. Other contributions to the line widths arise from ¹³C–¹H dipole‐dipole interactions and, in particular, from isotope‐induced chemical shifts ¹Δ^10/11B(¹³C), observed here for carboranes for the first time. In the case of 1‐diphenylsilyl‐1,2‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12), the coupling constant ¹J(¹³C,¹³C) = 9.3 Hz was measured in natural abundance of ¹³C. The small value of this coupling constant and its negative sign is predicted by calculations based on optimised structures [B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p) level of theory] of the parent carboranes and 1‐silyl‐1,2‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane(12) as a model compound [calcd. ¹J(¹³C,¹³C) = –10.5 Hz]. Calculated coupling constants ¹J(¹³C,¹¹B) are small (<7 Hz), in contrast to published assumptions, and of either sign, whereas ¹J(¹¹B,¹¹B) are all positive and range up to 15 Hz.     

Metal‐Free Oxidative B−N Coupling of nido‐Carborane with N‐Heterocycles

A general method for the oxidative substitution of nido‐carborane (7,8‐C₂B₉H₁₂^?) with N‐heterocycles has been developed by using 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) as an oxidant. This metal‐free B?N coupling strategy, in both inter‐ and intramolecular fashions, gave rise to a wide array of charge‐compensated, boron‐substituted nido‐carboranes in high yields (up to 97 %) with excellent functional‐group tolerance under mild reaction conditions. The reaction mechanism was investigated by density‐functional theory (DFT) calculations. A successive single‐electron transfer (SET), B?H hydrogen‐atom transfer (HAT), and nucleophilic attack pathway is proposed. This method provides a new approach to nitrogen‐containing carboranes with potential applications in medicine and materials.     

Synthesis of Two‐Electron Bimetallic Cu–Ag and Cu–Au Clusters by using [Cu13(S2CNnBu2)6(C≡CPh)4]+ as a Template

Atomically precise Cu‐rich bimetallic superatom clusters have been synthesized by adopting a galvanic exchange strategy. [Cu@Cu₁₂(S₂CNⁿBu₂)₆(C≡CPh)₄][CuCl₂] ( 1 ) was used as a template to generate compositionally uniform clusters [M@Cu₁₂(S₂CNⁿBu₂)₆ (C≡CPh)₄][CuCl₂], where M=Ag ( 2 ), Au ( 3 ). Structures of 1 , 2 and 3 were determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction and the results were supported by ESI‐MS. The anatomies of clusters 1 – 3 are very similar, with a centred cuboctahedral cationic core that is surrounded by six di‐butyldithiocarbamate (dtc) and four phenylacetylide ligands. The doped Ag and Au atoms were found to preferentially occupy the centre of the 13‐atom cuboctahedral core. Experimental and theoretical analyses of the synthesized clusters revealed that both Ag and Au doping result in significant changes in cluster stability, optical characteristics and enhancement in luminescence properties.     

Lanthanum tetrazinc,LaZn4

The structure of lanthanum tetrazinc, LaZn₄, has been determined from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data for the first time, approximately 70 years after its discovery. The compound exhibits a new structure type in the space group Cmcm, with one La atom and two Zn atoms occupying sites with m2m symmetry, and one Zn atom occupying a site with 2.. symmetry. The structure is closely related to the BaAl₄, La₃Al₁₁, BaNi₂Si₂ and CaCu₅ structure types, which can be presented as close‐packed arrangements of 18‐vertex clusters, in this case LaZn₁₈. The kindred structure types contain related 18‐vertex clusters around atoms of the rare earth or alkaline earth metal.