Macropolyhedral boron-containing cluster chemistry. The reaction of B16H20 and B14H18 with [PtMe2(PMe2Ph)2] to give [(PMe2Ph)2PtB16H17Me] and [(PMe2Ph)2PtB14H16]

Abstract

Structurally characterised 17-vertex [(PMe₂Ph)₂PtB₁₆H₁₇Me] 3 is obtained, albeit in low yield, by platination of 16-vertex B₁₆H₂₀1 using [PtMe₂(PMe₂Ph)₂] under mild conditions. Platination has occurred on the {B₁₀} subcluster of 1, interesting in that B₁₆H₂₀ itself deprotonates on the {B₈} subcluster: the reference 16-vertex [B₁₆H₁₉]⁻ anion 1a, prepared by deprotonation of 1 with 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene, is also structurally characterised. [PtMe₂(PMe₂Ph)₂] with 14-vertex B₁₄H₁₈2 similarly gives a low yield of 15-vertex [(PMe₂Ph)₂PtB₁₄H₁₆] 5, of formulation and structure substantiated by DFT calculations.