Reactions of decaborane derivatives with bis(diphosphine) complexes of iridium, and the crystal structure of cis-bis[1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]dihydroiridium(III) tetradecahydrononaborate(1–), [Ir-(dppe)2H2][B9H14]

Abstract

The four- and five-co-ordinate iridium(I) cations [Ir(dppe)₂]⁺ and [Ir(CO)(dppe)₂]⁺ react with B₁₀H₁₄, B₁₀H₁₃(Cl-6), and [B₁₀H₁₃]^– to give a number of ionic compounds. The reaction between [Ir(dppe)₂]Cl and B₁₀H₁₃X (X = H or 6-Cl) yields [Ir^IIICl(dppe)₂H][B₁₀H₁₂X]. The complex [Ir(CO)(dppe)₂]Cl reacts with [B₁₀H₁₃]^–, in methanol solution, to give [Ir^I(CO)(dppe)₂][B₁₀H₁₃] and, as a product of methanolic degradation, [Ir^III(dppe)₂H₂][B₉H₁₄]. The latter crystallizes as pale yellow needles in the orthorhombic space group Ccca with a= 15.456(4), b= 23.936(4), c= 28.529(7)Å, and Z= 8. The [B₉H₁₄]^– anion is grossly disordered, but it is possible to determine the structure of the cation.