Reactivity of Two 16e Half-Sandwich Cobalt Complexes Containing 1,2-Dicarba-closo-Dodecaborane-1,2-Dichalcogenolate (E2C2B10H10)2– (E = S, Se) Units toward Triphenylphosphine

Abstract

Treatment of o-carborane, n-butyllithium, sulfur (or selenium) and MeCpCo(CO)I₂ (or Cp*Co(CO)I₂) (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) under argon leads to half-sandwich carborane complex MeCpCo(S₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀) (I) (or Cp*Co(Se₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀) (II)). Complex I reacts with triphenylphosphine to afford addition product MeCpCo(S₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀)(PPh₃) (III). However, II does not react with triphenylphosphine. Complexes II and III have been characterized by elemental analysis, mass, NMR spectroscopy, IR and X-ray structural analyses (CIF files CCDC nos. 1571705 (II) and 1571706 (III)).