Re-identification of the major volatile carbaboranes from the gas-phase reactions of tetraborane(10) and alkynes at 50 °C

Abstract

Three of the major volatile products from gas-phase reactions of B₄H₁₀ with alkynes, previously reported to be the tricarbahexaborane(7) derivatives 2,3-Me₂-2,3,4-C₃B₃H₅2, 2,4-Me₂-2,3,4-C₃B₃H₅3 and 2-Et-3,4-Me₂-2,3,4-C₃B₃H₄4, are now shown to be the new dicarbahexaborane(8) derivatives, 2,4-Me₂-2,3-C₂B₄H₆6, 5-Et-2,3-C₂B₄H₇7 and 2-Et-3,4-Me₂-2,3-C₂B₄H₅8, respectively; this leaves 2-Me-2,3,4-C₃B₃H₆1 as the only authentic, well characterised nido-2,3,4-tricarbahexaborane species to have been reported.