One of the oldest problems in chemistry is obtaining an accurate molecular description of the hydrogen ion (H aq + ) produced when an acid ionizes in water. 1 The value of n in H(H 2 O) n + is poorly defined, and there has been a long debate over the relative importance of Eigen-type 2 H 3 O + • 3H 2 O (I) versus Zundel-type 3 H 5 O 2 + (II) structures: [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

The carborane acid H(CHB(11)Cl(11)) reacts with chloroalkanes RCl to give isolable dialkylchloronium ion salts, [R(2)Cl][CHB(11)Cl(11)], that are stable at room temperature. X-ray crystal structures have been obtained for R = CH(3) and CH(2)CH(3), revealing bent cation structures with C-Cl-C angles of 101.5 and 105.8 degrees , respectively. The dimethylchloronium ion salt loses CH(3)Cl upon heating and forms sublimable CH(3)(CHB(11)Cl(11)), providing a clean synthetic route to an extremely potent electrophilic methylating agent. IR spectra of all species have been interpreted, including the C-Cl stretch in CH(3)-ClCHB(11)Cl(10).

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What is the strongest acid? Can a simple Brønsted acid be prepared that can protonate an alkane at room temperature? Can that acid be free of the complicating effects of added Lewis acids that are typical of common, difficult-to-handle superacid mixtures? The carborane superacid H-(CHB11F11) is that acid. It is an extremely moisture-sensitive solid, prepared by treatment of anhydrous HCl with [Et3Si–H–SiEt3][CHB11F11]. It adds H2O to form [H3O][CHB11F11] and benzene to form the benzenium ion salt [C6H7][CHB11F11]. It reacts with butane to form a crystalline tBu+ salt and with n-hexane to form an isolable hexyl carbocation salt. Carbocations, which are thus no longer transient intermediates, react with NaH either by hydride addition to re-form an alkane or by deprotonation to form an alkene and H2. By protonating alkanes at room temperature, the reactivity of H(CHB11F11) opens up new opportunities for the easier study of acid-catalyzed hydrocarbon reforming.

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