A series of novel Cp*-based (Cp*=η(5)-C5Me5) agostic, bis(σ-borate), and boratrane complexes have been synthesized from diruthenium and dirhodium analogues of pentaborane(9). The synthesis and structural characterization of the first neutral ruthenadiborane(6) analogue are also reported. This new route offers a very efficient method for the isolation of bis(σ-borate) and agostic complexes from diruthenapentaborane(9).

Reactions of the CS2 and CO2 heterocumulene ligands with nido-ruthenaborane cluster [1,2-(Cp*Ru)2(μ-H)2B3H7], 1, were explored (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl). Compound 1 when treated with CS2 underwent metal-assisted hydroboration to yield arachno-ruthenaborane [(Cp*Ru)2(B3H8)(CS2H)], 2, with a dithioformato ligand attached to it. The chemistry of 2 was then explored with various transition metal carbonyl compounds under photolytic and thermolytic conditions. Thermolysis of 2 with [Mn2(CO)10] resulted in the formation of an unprecedented cubane-type cluster [(Cp*Ru)2Mn(CO)3(CS2H2)B3H4], 3, with a rare [M3E5] formulation (E = B, S). On the other hand, when compound 2 was photolyzed in the presence of [Mn2(CO)10], it yielded an incomplete cubane-type cluster [(Cp*Ru)2Mn(CO)3BH2(CS2H2)], 4. The room-temperature reaction of 2 with [Fe2(CO)9] yielded heterometallic arachno clusters [(Cp*Ru)(CO)2{Fe(CO)3}2S2CH3], 6 and [(Cp*Ru)2(B3H8)(CO){Fe(CO)3}2(CS2H)], 7. In contrast, photolysis of 2 with [Fe2(CO)9] yielded a tetrahedral cluster [(Cp*Ru)(CO)2S(μ-H){Fe(CO)3}3], 8, tethered to an exo-polyhedral moiety [(Cp*Ru)(CO)2]. Compound 6 provides an unusual bonding pattern by means of fusing the wing-tip vertex (S) of the [Fe2S2] butterfly core by an exo-polyhedral [(Cp*Ru)(CO)2] unit. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to provide insight into the mechanistic pathway, electronic structure, and bonding properties.

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Syntheses and structural characterization of supraicosahedral rhodaborane clusters are reported. Reaction of [(Cp*RhCl2)2], (Cp* = η(5)-C5Me5) with [LiBH4·thf] followed by thermolysis with excess of [BH3·thf] afforded 16-vertex closo-[(Cp*Rh)3B12H12Rh{Cp*RhB4H9}], 1, 15-vertex [(Cp*Rh)2B13H13], 2, 12-vertex [(Cp*Rh)2B10Hn(OH)m], (3a: n = 12, m = 0; 3b: n = 9, m = 1; 3c: n = 8, m = 2) and 10-vertex [(Cp*Rh)3B7H7], 4, and [(Cp*Rh)4B6H6], 5. Cluster 1 is the unprecedented 16-vertex cluster, consists of a sixteen-vertex {Rh4B12} with an exo-polyhedral {RhB4} moiety. Cluster 2 is the first example of a carbon free 15-vertex supraicosahedral metallaborane, exhibits icosihexahedron geometry (26 triangular faces) with three degree-six vertices. Clusters 3a-c have 12-vertex isocloso geometry, different from that of icosahedral one. Clusters 4 and 5 are attributed to the 10-vertex isocloso geometry based on 10-vertex bicapped square antiprism structure. In addition, quantum-chemical calculations with DFT methods at the BP86 level of theory have been used to provide further insight into the electronic structure and stability of the optimized structures which are in satisfactory agreement with the structure determinations. All the compounds have been characterized by IR, (1)H, (11)B, (13)C NMR spectroscopy in solution, and the solid state structures were established by crystallographic analysis of compounds 1-5.

We present the results of our investigation of a thermally driven cluster expansion of rhodaborane systems with BH(3)·THF. Four novel rhodaborane clusters, for example, nido-[(Cp*Rh)(2)B(6)H(10)], 1; nido-[(Cp*Rh)B(9)H(13)], 2; nido-[(Cp*Rh)(2)B(8)H(12)], 3; and nido-[(Cp*Rh)(3)B(8)H(9)(OH)(3)], 4 (Cp* = η(5)-C(5)Me(5)), have been isolated from the thermolysis of [Cp*RhCl(2)](2) and borane reagents in modest yields. Rhodaborane 1 has a nido geometry and is isostructural with [B(8)H(12)]. The low temperature (11)B and (1)H NMR data demonstrate that compound 1 exists in two isomeric forms. The framework geometry of 2 and 3 is similar to that of [B(10)H(14)] with one BH group in 2 (3-position), and two BH groups in 3 (3, 4-positions) are replaced by an isolobal {Cp*Rh} fragment. The 11 vertex cluster 4 has a nido structure based on the 12 vertex icosahedron, having three rhodium and eight boron atoms. In addition, the reaction of rhodaborane 1 with [Fe(2)(CO)(9)] yielded a condensed cluster [(Cp*Rh)(2){Fe(CO)(3)}(2)B(6)H(10)], 5. The geometry of 5 consists of [Fe(2)B(2)] tetrahedron and an open structure of [(Cp*Rh)(2)B(6)], fused through two boron atoms. The accuracy of these results in each case is established experimentally by spectroscopic characterization in solution and structure determinations in the solid state.

Room temperature photolysis of [(Cp*RuCO)2BH4(Bcat)], 3, generated from the reaction of arachno-[(Cp*RuCO)2B2H6], 1, with HBcat (cat = 1,2-O2C6H4), yielded a rare homodinuclear bridged-boryl complex, [(Cp*Ru)2(μ-H)(μ-CO)(μ-Bcat)], 4, confirmed by X-ray diffraction.

Thermolysis of [Cp*Ru(PPh2 (CH2 )PPh2 )BH2 (L2 )] 1 (Cp*=η(5) -C5 Me5 ; L=C7 H4 NS2 ), with terminal alkynes led to the formation of η(4) -σ,π-borataallyl complexes [Cp*Ru(μ-H)B{R-C=CH2 }(L)2 ] (2 a-c) and η(2) -vinylborane complexes [Cp*Ru(R-C=CH2 )BH(L)2 ] (3 a-c) (2 a, 3 a: R=Ph; 2 b, 3 b: R=COOCH3 ; 2 c, 3 c: R=p-CH3 -C6 H4 ; L=C7 H4 NS2 ) through hydroboration reaction. Ruthenium and the HBCC unit of the vinylborane moiety in 2 a-c are linked by a unique η(4) -interaction. Conversions of 1 into 3 a-c proceed through the formation of intermediates 2 a-c. Furthermore, in an attempt to expand the library of these novel complexes, chemistry of σ-borane complex [Cp*RuCO(μ-H)BH2 L] 4 (L=C7 H4 NS2 ) was investigated with both internal and terminal alkynes. Interestingly, under photolytic conditions, 4 reacts with methyl propiolate to generate the η(4) -σ,π-borataallyl complexes [Cp*Ru(μ-H)BH{R-C=CH2 }(L)] 5 and [Cp*Ru(μ-H)BH{HC=CH-R}(L)] 6 (R=COOCH3 ; L=C7 H4 NS2 ) by Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov hydroboration. In an extension, photolysis of 4 in the presence of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate yielded η(4) -σ,π-borataallyl complex [Cp*Ru(μ-H)BH{R-C=CH-R}(L)] 7 (R=COOCH3 ; L=C7 H4 NS2 ). An agostic interaction was also found to be present in 2 a-c and 5-7, which is rare among the borataallyl complexes. All the new compounds have been characterized in solution by IR, (1) H, (11) B, (13) C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and the structural types were unequivocally established by crystallographic analysis of 2 b, 3 a-c and 5-7. DFT calculations were performed to evaluate possible bonding and electronic structures of the new compounds.

Building upon our earlier results on the synthesis of electron-precise transition-metal-boron complexes, we continue to investigate the reactivity of pentaborane(9) and tetraborane(10) analogues of ruthenium and rhodium towards thiazolyl and oxazolyl ligands. Thus, mild thermolysis of nido-[(Cp*RuH)2B3H7] (1) with 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-mbtz) and 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (2-mboz) led to the isolation of Cp*-based (Cp* = η(5)-C5Me5) borate complexes 5 a,b [Cp*RuBH3L] (5 a: L = C7H4NS2; 5 b: L = C7H4NOS)) and agostic complexes 7 a,b [Cp*RuBH2(L)2], (7 a: L = C7H4NS2; 7 b: L = C7H4NOS). In a similar fashion, a rhodium analogue of pentaborane(9), nido-[(Cp*Rh)2B3H7] (2) yielded rhodaboratrane [Cp*RhBH(L)2], 10 (L = C7H4NS2). Interestingly, when the reaction was performed with an excess of 2-mbtz, it led to the formation of the first structurally characterized N,S-heterocyclic rhodium-carbene complex [(Cp*Rh)(L2)(1-benzothiazol-2-ylidene)] (11) (L = C7H4NS2). Furthermore, to evaluate the scope of this new route, we extended this chemistry towards the diruthenium analogue of tetraborane(10), arachno-[(Cp*RuCO)2B2H6] (3), in which the metal center possesses different ancillary ligands.