title: Reaction of nido-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(13) with Dicobalt Octacarbonyl: Crystal Structures of the Complexes [Co(2)(CO)(2)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))(2)], [Co(2)(CO)(PMe(2)Ph)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))(2)], and [CoCl(PMe(2)Ph)(2)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))].
abstract: The compounds [Co(2)(CO)(8)] and nido-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(13) react in CH(2)Cl(2) to give a complex mixture of products consisting primarily of two isomers of the dicobalt species [Co(2)(CO)(2)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))(2)] (1), together with small amounts of a mononuclear cobalt compound [Co(CO)(2)(eta(5)-10-CO-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(10))] (5) and a charge-compensated carborane nido-9-CO-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11) (6). In solution, isomers 1a and 1b slowly equilibrate. However, column chromatography allows a clean separation of 1a from the mixture, and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study revealed that each metal atom is ligated by a terminal CO molecule and in a pentahapto manner by a nido-C(2)B(9)H(11) cage framework. The two Co(CO)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11)) units are linked by a Co-Co bond [2.503(2) Å], which is supported by two three-center two-electron B-H right harpoon-up Co bonds. The latter employ B-H vertices in each cage which lie in alpha-sites with respect to the carbons in the CCBBB rings bonded to cobalt. Addition of PMe(2)Ph to a CH(2)Cl(2) solution of a mixture of the isomers 1, enriched in 1b, gave isomers of formulation [Co(2)(CO)(PMe(2)Ph)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))(2)] (2). Crystals of one isomer were suitable for X-ray diffraction. The molecule 2a has a structure similar to that of 1a but differs in that whereas one B-H right harpoon-up Co bridge involves a boron atom in an alpha-site of a CCBBB ring coordinated to cobalt, the other uses a boron atom in the beta-site. Reaction between 1b and an excess of PMe(2)Ph in CH(2)Cl(2) gave the complex [CoCl(PMe(2)Ph)(2)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))] (3), the structure of which was established by X-ray diffraction. Experiments indicated that 3 was formed through a paramagnetic Co(II) species of formulation [Co(PMe(2)Ph)(2)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))]. Addition of 2 molar equiv of CNBu(t) to solutions of either 1a or 1b gave a mixture of two isomers of the complex [Co(2)(CNBu(t))(2)(eta(5)-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11))(2)] (4). NMR data for the new compounds are reported and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798-7348, and School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
authors.forename: Shelley L.
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hendershot
authors.forename: John C.
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: Paul A.
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jelliss
authors.forename: Donald F.
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Mullica
authors.forename: Eric L.
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Sappenfield
authors.forename: F. Gordon A.
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Stone