The reaction of alpha,alpha'-bis(3,5-bis(bromomethyl)phenoxy-p-xylene (3) with 4 equiv of the monolithium salt of 1-Ph-1,2-C2B10H11 or 1-Me-1,2-C2B10H11 gave the corresponding neutral carboranyl-functionalized aryl ether derivatives closo-4 and closo-5, respectively. These compounds contain four closo clusters that were degraded using basic conditions with KOH in EtOH, affording the corresponding nido-6 and nido-7 as potassium salts. Nido species were also isolated with tetramethylammonium as cation giving compounds nido-8 and nido-9 in good yield. The potassium salts showed good solubility in water and polar solvents. All these compounds were characterized by 1H, 11B and 13C NMR spectroscopy and UV-vis. The electronic data in different solvents indicated a solvatochromic shift for all compounds and a red shift of the absorption maxima for the nido species with respect to the closo derivatives. These neutral and anionic carboranyl-functionalized aryl ether derivatives represent a new family of high boron content luminescent compounds that show strong fluorescence emission in different solvents at room temperature. This phenomenon is very interesting considering the fact that none of the precursors have such a property. The fluorescence emission depends on the cluster substituent (Ph or Me) and the solvent polarity. Additionally, the fluorescence emission intensity was clearly dependent on the solvent polarity; the closo species showed strongest fluorescence intensities in the non-polar solvents, while anionic species were highly emissive in polar solvents.

Fluorescent Fréchet-type poly(aryl ether) dendrimers that incorporate the 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene as core molecule and 3, 6, 9, or 12 terminal allyl ether groups have been prepared in very good yield by following the Fréchet convergent approach. Regiospecific hydrosylilation reactions on the allyl ether functions with the cobaltabisdicarbollide derivative Cs[1,1′-μ-SiMeH-3,3′-Co(1,2-C2B9H10)2] lead to different generations of Féchet-type polyanionic metallodendrimers decorated with 3, 6, and 9 cobaltabisdicarbollide units. Starting dendrimers exhibit photoluminescence properties at room temperature under ultraviolet irradiation; nevertheless, after functionalization with cobaltabisdicarbollide derivatives, the fluorescence properties are quenched. Products are fully characterized by FTIR, NMR, and UV−vis spectroscopies. For metallodendrimers, the UV−vis absorptions have been a good tool for estimating the experimental number of cobaltabisdicarbollide units peripherally attached to the dendrimeric structure and consequently to corroborate the unified character of the dendrimers. Because of the anionic character of these compounds and the boron-rich content, we actually focus our research on biocompatibility studies and potential applications.

A new family of photoluminescent neutral and anionic di-carboranyl and tetra-carboranyl derivatives have been synthesized and characterized. The reaction of α,α'-bis(3,5-bis(bromomethyl)phenoxy-m-xylene with 4 equiv. of the monolithium salt of 1-Ph-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(11) or 1-Me-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(11) gives the neutral tetracarboranyl-functionalized aryl ether derivatives closo-1 and closo-2, respectively. The addition of the monolithium salt of 1-Ph-1,2-closo-C(2)B(10)H(11) to α,α,'-dibromo-m-xylene or 2,6-dibromomethyl-pyridine gives the corresponding di-carboranyl derivatives closo-3 and closo-4. These compounds, which contain four or two closo clusters, were degraded using the classical method, KOH in EtOH, affording the corresponding nido species, which were isolated as potassium or tetramethylammonium salts. All the compounds were characterized by IR, (1)H, (11)B and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, and the crystal structure of closo-3 was analysed by X-ray diffraction. The carboranyl fragments are bonded through CH(2) units to different organic moieties, and their influence on the photoluminescent properties of the final molecules has been studied. All the closo- and nido-carborane derivatives exhibit a blue emission under ultraviolet excitation at room temperature in different solvents. The fluorescence properties of these closo and nido-derivatives depend on the substituent (Ph or Me) bonded to the C(cluster), the solvent polarity, and the organic unit bearing the carborane clusters (benzene or pyridine). In the case of nido-derivatives, an important effect of the cation is also observed.

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