title: Apically Linked Small Metallacarborane Clusters. Directed Synthesis and Structural Characterization of 7,7'-[CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)](2) and [CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)-7)](2)X Complexes (X = MeCH, HC=CH, C&tbd1;C)(,)(1).
abstract: A series of novel bis(cobaltacarboranyl) (CoC(2)B(4))(2)X dicluster complexes whose B(7) (apex) atoms are linked by organic moieties involving sp-, sp(2)-, or sp(3)-hybridized carbon, or by a direct B(7)-B(7') bond, has been prepared by extension of the recently described "recapitation" method (Curtis, M. A.; et al. Inorg. Chem. 1996, 35, 6703) that entails treatment of 6-vertex nido-CoC(2)B(3) dianions with monoboron reagents. Reactions of Li(2)[nido-CpCo(Et(2)C(2)B(3)H(3))] in toluene with MeCH(BCl(2))(2) and with cis-(BCl(2))C(2)H(2) gave, respectively, [CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)-7-)](2)MeCH (5) and cis-[CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)-7-)](2)C(2)H(2) (6a) following chromatographic separation. Ultraviolet irradiation of 6a induced partial conversion to the trans isomer 6b, affording a 46:54 trans/cis equilibrium mixture in 84 h. Reactions of the same cobaltacarborane dianion with bis(catecholboryl)acetylene and with bis(catecholdiboryl) gave [CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)-7-)](2)C(2) (7) and [CpCo(2,3-Et(2)C(2)B(4)H(3)-7-)](2) (8), respectively. The new complexes were isolated as air-stable, crystalline orange solids and were characterized from their (1)H, (11)B, and (13)C NMR, IR, UV-visible, and mass spectra, supported by X-ray crystallographic studies of 5, 6a, 7, and 8. Crystal data for 5: space group P2(1)ca (orthorhombic); a = 14.220(10) Å, b = 15.690(10) Å, c = 16.860(10) Å, Z = 4; R = 0.041 for 7485 independent reflections. Crystal data for 6a: space group C2/c (monoclinic); a = 12.849(6) Å, b = 11.435(6) Å, c = 25.619(13) Å, beta = 96.230(10) degrees; Z = 4; R = 0.036 for 5440 independent reflections. Crystal data for 7: space group P2(1)/n (monoclinic); a = 17.298(12) Å, b = 13.932(10) Å, c = 30.82(2) Å, beta = 96.34(5) degrees; Z = 8; R = 0.070 for 9632 independent reflections. Crystal data for 8: space group P&onemacr; (triclinic); a = 9.150(10) Å, b = 10.270(10) Å, c = 10.340(10) Å, alpha = 84.52(5) degrees, beta = 78.05(5) degrees, gamma = 68.6(5) degrees; Z = 1; R = 0.056 for 5154 independent reflections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901, and Anorganisch-Chemisches Institut der Universität Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael A.
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Beez
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pritzkow
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Siebert
authors.forename: Russell N.
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Grimes