Fine-tuning of metallaborane geometries: chemistry of iridaboranes derived from the reaction of

From reaction of [(Cp*Ir)2HxCl(4-x)] (x=1, 0) and LiBH4, arachno-[[Cp*IrH2]B3H7](1) is produced in moderate yield concurrently with [Cp*IrH4]. In contrast, reaction of [(Cp*Ir)2H2Cl2] with LiBH4 results in arachno-[[Cp*IrH]2(mu-H)B2H5] (3) in high yield at room temperature but a mixture of 1 and [[Cp*IrH]2(mu-H)BH4] (2) at 0 degrees C. BH3 x THF converts 1 to arachno-[(Cp*IrHB4H9] (4) and 2 to 3 with 1 as a minor product. Further, reaction of 3 with excess of BH3 x THF results in formation of nido-[[Cp*Ir]2-(mu-H)B4H7] (6) formed by loss of H2 from the intermediate arachno-[[Cp*IrH]2B4H8] (5). Reaction of 1 with [Co2(CO)8] permits the isolation of two metallaboranes, arachno-[[Cp*Ir(CO)]-B3H7] (7) and nido-[1-[Cp*Ir]-2,3-Co2-(CO)4(mu-CO)B3H7] (8). Treatment of 4 with [Co2(CO)8] gives only one single mixed-metal metallaborane nido-[1-[Cp*Ir]-2-Co(CO)3B4H7 (9) in high yield. Finally, pyrolysis of 8 results in loss of hydrogen and formation of pileo-[1-[Cp*Ir]-2,3-Co2(CO)5B3H5] (10) with a BH-capped square-pyramidal structure. With kinetic control rational synthesis of a variety metallaboranes has been achieved by varying the number of chlorides in the monocyclopentadienylmetal halide dimer, reaction temperature, types of monoborane, and metal fragment sources.     

Clusters as Ligands. 4. Synthesis, Structure, and Characterization of the Tungsten(II)-Tungsten(III) Cluster Carboxylate {[Na][W(2){OOCCCo(3)(CO)(9)}(2)(OOCCF(3))(4)(THF)(2)]}(2)

The reaction of W(2)(OOCCF(3))(4) with (CO)(9)Co(3)CCOOH and Na[OOCCF(3)] in a nonpolar solvent mixture leads to the formation of the cluster of clusters {[Na][W(2){OOCCCo(3)(CO)(9)}(2)(OOCCF(3))(4)(THF)(2)]}(2), 1, in 40% yield. The structure of 1.3C(6)H(5)CH(3) in the solid state corresponds to a dimer of W(2) dinuclear complexes (monoclinic P2(1)/c, a = 15.234(6) ?, b = 23.326(11) ?, c = 20.658(7) ?, beta = 102.46(3) degrees; V = 7,168(5) ?(3); Z = 4; R(F)() = 8.39%). Each W(2) unit is bridged by two cis cluster carboxylates, and the remaining four equatorial sites are occupied by monodentate [OOCCF(3)](-) ligands. The axial positions contain coordinated THF. The W(2) carboxylate is opened up (W-W distance of 2.449(2) ?) so that the free ends of the [OOCCF(3)](-) ligands on both W(2) carboxylate units can cooperate in chelating two Na(+) ions thereby forming a dimer of W(2) complexes. A distinctive EPR spectrum with g = 2.08 is consistent with each W(2) carboxylate being a mixed-valent W(II)-W(III) species. The reaction of W(2)(OOCCF(3))(4) with (CO)(9)Co(3)CCOOH in THF in the absence of Na[OOCCF(3)] leads to the expected diamagnetic W(II)-W(II) cluster carboxylate W(2){OOCCCo(3)(CO)(9)}(3)(OOCCF(3))(THF)(2), 3.     

Expansion of iridaborane clusters by addition of monoborane. Novel metallaboranes and mechanistic detail

This work reports the results of a thermally driven cluster expansion of arachno-1-{eta5-C5Me5IrH2}B3H7, 1, with BH3.THF. In addition to the previously reported product, arachno-1-{eta5-C5Me5IrH}B4H9, 2, formed at lower temperatures, reaction at 100 degrees C permits the isolation of four new iridaboranes. Two products, nido-1-(eta5-C5Me5Ir)B5H9, 3, and nido-3-(eta5-C5Me5Ir)B9H13, 4, contain a single Ir atom and five and nine framework boron atoms, respectively. One, nido-3,4-(eta5-C5Me5Ir)2B8H12, 5, contains two Ir atoms and eight framework boron atoms. Their structures are predicted by the electron counting rules to be a nido-iridahexaborane, 3, nido-iridadecaborane, 4, and nido-diiridadecaborane, 5. The accuracy of these predictions in each case is established experimentally by spectroscopic characterization in solution and structure determinations in the solid state. A less stable metallaborane has been identified and the available spectroscopic and crystallographic information are consistent with the formulation nido-3,4-(eta5-C5Me5Ir)2B8H13(eta-BH2), 6, i.e., a species containing an exopolyhedral bridging BH group. These new observations, along with earlier ones on ruthenaborane cluster systems, are used to fully define a general mechanism for a cluster expansion reaction, i.e., addition of borane to form an exopolyhedral adduct followed by cage insertion.