Electrochemical study of boron-mercurated derivatives of 3-cyclopentadienyl-3-cobalta-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane

The cyclic voltammetry and rotating disc electrode methods were used to study the electrochemical reduction and oxidation of boron-mercurated mono- and dimercury derivatives of 3-cyclopentadienyl-3-cobalta-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane and boron-mercurated dicobaltacarborane on platinum and glassy carbon electrodes in MeCN and DMF solutions. The first reduction step was the reversible electron transfer to the cobalt atom. This process is complicated by adsorption of the reaction product on the electrode, which is especially pronounced when the electrode is coated by metallic mercury evolved at later steps of reduction. The presumptive mechanisms of electroreduction are discussed in detail.