Solvent–metal interactions in bis[1,2‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaboran(12)‐1‐yl]mercury(II) dichloromethane solvate and bis[1,12‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaboran(12)‐1‐yl]mercury(II) tetrahydrofuran solvate

The title compounds, bis­1,2‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaboran(12)‐1‐yl]­mercury(II) di­chloro­methane solvate, Hg(C₂B₁₀H₁₁)₂]·CH₂Cl₂, (I), and bis­1,12‐dicarba‐closo‐dodecaboran(12)‐1‐yl]­mercury(II) tetra­hydro­furan solvate, Hg(C₂B₁₀H₁₁)₂]·C₄H₈O, (II), were prepared in excellent yields using a robust synthetic procedure involving the reaction of HgCl₂ with the appropriate monoli­thiocarborane. X‐Ray analysis of the products revealed strong interactions between the Hg atoms in both complexes and the respective lattice solvent. The distances between the Hg^II centers and the Cl atoms of the dichloromethane solvent molecule in the ortho‐carborane derivative, (I), and the O atom of the tetra­hydro­furan molecule in the para‐carborane complex, (II), are shorter than the sums of the van der Waals radii for Hg and Cl (3.53 Å), and Hg and O (3.13 Å), respectively, indicating moderately strong interactions. There are two crystallographically independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit of both compounds, which, in each case, are related by differing relative positions of the cages.