Macropolyhedral boron-containing cluster chemistry: isolation and characterization of twenty-one-vertex [(PMe2Ph)3HReB20H15Ph(PHMe 2)]

Abstract

Reaction of B ₂₀ H ₁₆ with [ReH ₅ (PMe ₂ Ph) ₃ ] yields the twenty-one-vertex metallaborane [(PMe ₂ Ph) ₃ HReB ₂₀ H ₁₅ Ph- (PHMe ₂ )] which consists of a closo twelve-vertex {B ₁₂ } unit and a nido eleven-vertex {B ₁₁ } unit fused with a common triangular face, with the {(PMe ₂ Ph) ₃ HRe} moiety capping exo to the nido {B ₁₁ } unit with three Re–H–B bonds; an unusual reductive P-phenyl cleavage of a PMe ₂ Ph moiety to give B-pendant exo PHMe ₂ and exo Ph moieties on the open face of the eleven-vertex subcluster is also apparent.