Borane anions with bridging cyanide ligands; preparation and properties of derivatives of [B3H8]– and [B9H14]–

Abstract

A series of cyanide-bridged derivatives of the arachno-octahydrotriborate(1–) and arachno-tetradecahydrononaborate(1–) ions, [B₃H₈]^– and [B₉H₁₄]^– respectively, have been prepared using chemical and electrochemical methods. Compounds prepared include the triborate species [B₃H₇(NC)B₃H₇]^– and its substituted derivatives, [B₃H₆Cl(NC)B₃H₇]^– and [B₃H₆Cl(NC)B₃H₆Cl]^–, together with the ions [B₃H₇(NC)BH₂(NC)BH₃]^– and [B₃H₇(NC)BPh₃]^–. The ions [B₃H₇(NC)BH₂(CN)]^– and [B₃H₇(NC)BH₂(CN)B₃H₇]^– have also been obtained. The nonaborate derivatives include [B₉H₁₃(NC)BPh₃]^–, [B₉H₁₃(NC)BH₂(NC)BH₃]^–, [B₉H₁₃(NC)BH₂(CN)]^–, and [B₉H₁₃(NC) BH₂(CN) B₉H₁₃]^–.