Treatment of Na2[7,8-R2-nido-7,8-C2B9H9] (R = H, Me) with the reagent [Mn(NCMe)3(CO)3][PF6] affords the anions [3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2-R2-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H9]-, typically isolated
as Cs+ or [N(PPh3)2]+ salts. These anions interact with cationic metal fragments {M(PPh3)}+
(M = Cu, Ag, Au) to give the bimetallic compounds [3,8-{M(PPh3)}-8-μ-H-3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2-R2-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H8], for which the structures of the Cu and Au species (R = H) have
been confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. In contrast, other electrophiles such as H+ and
Me+ abstract hydride from carborane boron vertexes, which in the presence of donors (L)
produces the neutral zwitterions [8-L-3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2-R2-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H8]. The halogenated derivatives [8-X-3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2-R2-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H8]- (X = Cl, Br, I) of the
parent anions are obtained by hydride abstraction in halogenated solvents or by direct
reaction with Br2 or I2. Moreover, further cluster functionalization is achieved by treating
the 8-iodo species with the Grignard reagents R‘MgBr, leading to the anions [8-R‘-3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2-R2-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H8]-. When the substitution processes are repeated, the latter
series of anions yield compounds with yet more functionality. Crystallographic studies of
the boron-substituted derivatives [8-{(E)-N(Me)C(H)Me}-3,3,3-(CO)3-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H10],
[N(PPh3)2][8-(p-C6H4Me)-3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2-Me2-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H8], and [4-{(Z)-N(Me)C(H)Me}-3,3,3-(CO)3-1,2,8-Me3-closo-3,1,2-MnC2B9H7] confirmed their structures and the
sites of cage substitution.