Oxidation of N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (TPD, 1 a) and N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (1 b) with SbCl(5) affords the corresponding radical cations quantitatively. The crystal and molecular structure of 1 b and [1 b]SbCl(6), the first tetraphenyl benzidene derivatives to be characterised crystallographically in both the neutral and radical cation states, reveal molecular parameters in agreement with the predictions made on the basis of DFT studies. Analysis of the NIR transition in the radical cations [1](+) (.) allows an estimate of the electronic coupling parameter V (1 a(+) (.) 3200 cm(-1); 1 b(+) (.) 3300 cm(-1)), the reorganisation energy lambda(1 a(+) (.) 7500 cm(-1); 1 b(+) (.) 7800 cm(-1)), and the linear coupling constant l (1 a(+) (.) 3100 cm(-1); 1 b(+) (.) 2700 cm(-1)) of the symmetric mode.

The influence of molecular conformation on the oxidation (ionisation) potential and electronic structure associated with several TPD-style hole transport materials has been assessed through a combination of single crystal X-ray diffraction, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical methods and DFT calculations. The introduction of methyl groups can be used to tune the ionisation potential of these molecular species through a combination of electronic (inductive) and thermodynamic effects, while the conformation of the biphenyl portion of the molecular framework is found to play the greatest role in determining the Marcus-type reorganisation energy associated with the charge transport process on the molecular level.

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A high-yield preparation of the C-monoethynyl para-carborane, 1-Me(3)SiC[triple bond]C-1,12-C2B10H11, from C-monocopper para-carborane and 1-bromo-2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyne, BrC[triple bond]CSiMe(3) is reported. The low-yield preparation of 1,12-(Me3SiC[triple bond]C)2-1,12-C2B10H10 from the C,C'-dicopper para-carborane derivative with 1-bromo-2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyne, BrC[triple bond]CSiMe3, has been re-investigated and other products were identified including the C-monoethynyl-carborane 1-Me3SiC[triple bond]C-1,12-C2B10H11 and two-cage assemblies generated from cage-cage couplings. The contrast in the yields of the monoethynyl and diethynyl products is due to the highly unfavourable coupling process between 1-RC[triple bond]C-12-Cu-1,12-C2B10H10 and the bromoalkyne. The ethynyl group at the cage carbon C(1) strongly influences the chemical reactivity of the cage carbon at C(12)-the first example of the "antipodal effect" affecting the syntheses of para-carborane derivatives. New two-step preparations of 1-ethynyl- and 1,12-bis(ethynyl)-para-carboranes have been developed using a more readily prepared bromoethyne, 1-bromo-3-methyl-1-butyn-3-ol, BrC[triple bond]CCMe2OH. The molecular structures of the two C-monoethynyl-carboranes, 1-RC[triple bond]C-1,12-C2B10H11 (R = H and Me3Si), were experimentally determined using gas-phase electron diffraction (GED). For R = H (R(G) = 0.053) a model with C(5v) symmetry refined to give a C[triple bond]C bond distance of 1.233(5) A. For R = Me3Si (R(G) = 0.048) a model with C(s) symmetry refined to give a C[triple bond]C bond distance of 1.227(5) A. Molecular structures of 1,12-Br2-1,12-C2B10H10, 1-HC[triple bond]C-12-Br-1,12-C2B10H10 and 1,12-(Me(3)SiC[triple bond]C)2-1,12-C2B10H10 were determined by X-ray crystallography. Substituents at the cage carbon atoms on the C2B10 cage skeleton in 1-X-12-Y-1,12-C2B10H10 derivatives invariably lengthen the cage C-B bonds. However, the subtle substituent effects on the tropical B-B bond lengths in these compounds are more complex. The molecular structures of the ethynyl-ortho-carborane, 1-HC[triple bond]C-1,2-C2B10H11 and the ethene, trans-Me3SiBrC=CSiMe3Br are also reported.

The electrochemical properties of the title compound reveal electronic interactions between two dicobalt-dicarbon clusters via a 1,12-para-carborane cage.