Synthesis and characterization of the nine-atom, rhena- and tungsta-boranes (Cp*Re)2B7H7 and (Cp*W)2B7H9, Cp* = η5-C5Me5. Molecular mimics of hypoelectronic main-group clusters in Zintl phases

Abstract

Geometric and molecular orbital analyses of the metallaboranes (Cp*Re)₂B₇H₇ and (Cp*W)₂B₇H₉, which display unusual, but identical, core structures and skeletal electron pair counts of n – 2, demonstrate a close connection between these molecular compounds and anionic, hypoelectronic main-group clusters found in the solid state.