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Chalcogen-containing carboranes have been known for several decades and possess stable exopolyhedral B(9)-Se and B(9)-Te σ bonds despite the electron-donating ability of the B(9) vertex. While these molecules are known, little has been done to thoroughly evaluate their electrophilic and nucleophilic behavior. Herein, we report an assessment of the electrophilic reactivity of meta-carboranyl selenyl (II), tellurenyl (II), and tellurenyl (IV) chlorides and establish their reactivity pattern with Grignard reagents, alkenes, alkynes, enolates, and electron-rich arenes. These electrophilic reactions afford unique electron-rich B-Y-C (Y = Se, Te) bonding motifs not commonly found before. Furthermore, we show that meta-carboranyl selenolate, and even meta-carboranyl tellurolate, can be competent nucleophiles and participate in nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Arene substitution chemistry is shown to be further extended to electron-rich species via the palladium mediated cross-coupling chemistry.

A set of two dodecaborate [B(12)(OR)(12)](1−) radical cluster anions containing a dense layer of fluorinated end-groups provide nuclear spin hyperpolarization via the dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (D-DNP) technique. We show that these clusters can enhance (19)F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals. Importantly, given the inherent radical delocalization in dodecaborate-based radicals, these species are compatible with reactive compounds such as Lewis acids, providing ~ 1000 – 2000 times of signal enhancement for B(C(6)F(5))(3) in liquid state NMR experiments at 9.4 T. This observation suggests that 3D aromatic radicals can provide advantages over the conventional radical species that are currently used for DNP, such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) by showing superior chemical compatibility. The ability to hyperpolarize reactive compounds using [B(12)(OR)(12)](1−) cluster radicals opens up new applications of reaction monitoring by D-DNP NMR spectroscopy, including the observation of catalytically active species in complex reaction mixtures.

Here we show that azide, sulfonamide, cyanate, and phosphoramidate nucleophiles can be straightforwardly cross-coupled onto the B(9) vertices of the o- and m-carborane core from readily accessible precursors without significant deboronation by-products, laying the groundwork for further study into the utility and properties of these new B-aminated carborane species.

We report our discovery of utilizing perhydroxylated dodecaborate clusters ([B12(OH)12]2-) as a molecular cross-linker to generate a hybrid tungsten oxide material. We further demonstrate how these robust B12-based clusters in the resulting hybrid tungsten oxide material can effectively preserve the specific capacitance up to 4000 cycles and reduce the charge transfer resistance as well as the response time compared to that of pristine tungsten oxide.

While the icosahedral closo-[B12H12]2– cluster does not display reversible electrochemical behavior, perfunctionalization of this species via substitution of all twelve B–H vertices with alkoxy orbenzyloxy (OR) substituents engenders reversible redox chemistry, providing access to clusters in the dianionic,monoanionic, and neutral forms. Here, we evaluated the electrochemical behavior of the electron-rich B12(O-3-methylbutyl)12 (1) cluster and discovered that a new reversible redox event that gives rise to a fourth electronic state is accessible through one-electron oxidation of the neutral species. Chemical oxidation of 1 with [N(2,4-Br2C6H3)3]•+ afforded the isolable[1] •+ cluster, which is the first example of an open-shell cationic B12 cluster in which the unpaired electron is proposed to be delocalized throughout the boron cluster core. The oxidation of 1 is also chemically reversible, where treatment of [1]•+ with ferrocene resulted in its reduction back to 1. The identity of [1]•+ is supported by EPR, UV-vis, multinuclear NMR (1H, 11B), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic characterization.

The synthesis of [1,1’-bis(o-carboranyl)]boranes was achieved through the deprotonation of 1,1’-bis(o-carborane) reagents followed by salt metathesis with ((i)Pr)(2)NBCl(2). X-ray crystallography confirms planar central BC(4) rings and Gutmann-Beckett studies reveal an increase in Lewis acidity at the boron center in comparison to their biphenyl congener, 9-borafluorene.

We report the synthesis of two isomeric Pt(II) complexes ligated by doubly deprotonated 1,1′-bis(o-carborane) (bc). The κ2-C,C-bound isomer (3a) is generated through salt metathesis of K2[bc] and Pt(dtb-bpy)Cl2 (dtb-bpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine), whereas the κ2-B,C-bound isomer (3b) forms after the addition of K[H-bc] to a reaction mixture containing the Pt(II) starting material and an alkyl lithium reagent. The structures of both isomers were confirmed with 1H NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray crystallography. A cathodic shift is observed for both oxidation (>260 mV) and reduction (∼130 mV) potentials of 3b versus those of 3a, which is corroborated by DFT calculations of both complexes. While photophysical studies reveal similar quantum yields and excited state lifetimes for both isomers, emission spectra for 3b in a PMMA film, frozen solution at 77 K, and as a neat solid are slightly blue-shifted relative to the corresponding emission spectra for 3a. Ultimately, this work provides a ...

The synthesis of two biscarboranyl (bc) magnesium reagents is described. Treatment of 1,1'-bis(o-carborane) (H2-bc) or 8,8',9,9',10,10',12,12'-octamethyl-1,1'-bis(o-carborane) (H2-Mebc) with Mg(n-Bu)2 in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) affords (bc)Mg(DME)2 (1a-b) as crystalline solids. The magnesium compounds, which have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray crystallography in the case of 1a, serve as competent Grignard-type reagents to generate bc-containing species of tin from Me2SnCl2 (2a-b). The type of substitution of the bis(o-carboranyl) ligand framework is found to strongly effect the electronic character of the tin center, as judged by 119Sn NMR spectroscopy. The disclosed compounds, which are stable solids under an atmosphere of dry nitrogen gas at room temperature, provide a new class of bc-transfer reagents.

We report the first indirect observation and use of boron vertex-centered carboranyl radicals generated by the oxidation of modified carboranyl precursors. These radical intermediates are formed by the direct oxidation of a B─B bond between a boron cluster cage and an exopolyhedral boron-based substituent (e.g., −BF(3)K, −B(OH)(2)). The in situ generated radical species are shown to be competent substrates in reactions with oxygen-based radicals, dichalcogenides, and N-heterocycles, yielding the corresponding substituted carboranes containing B─O, B─S, B─Se, B─Te, and B─C bonds. Remarkably, this chemistry tolerates various electronic environments, providing access to facile substitution chemistry at both electron-rich and electron-poor B─H vertices in carboranes.

We report the discovery that a perhydroxylated dodecaborate cluster ([B12(OH)12]2-) can act as an inorganic polyol, serving as a molecular cross-linker in the synthesis of polyurethane-based materials. We further demonstrate how the inherent robustness of the utilized boron cluster can effectively enhance the thermal stability of the produced polyurethane materials incorporating [B12(OH)12]2- building blocks compared to analogous polymers made from carbon-based polyols. Ultimately, this approach provides a potential route to tune the chemical and physical properties of soft materials through incorporation of polyhedral boron-rich clusters into the polymer network.

Summary A cornerstone of modern synthetic chemistry rests on the ability to manipulate the reactivity of a carbon center by rendering it either electrophilic or nucleophilic. However, accessing a similar reactivity spectrum with boron-based reagents has been significantly more challenging. While classical nucleophilic carbon-based reagents normally do not require steric protection, readily accessible, unprotected boron-based nucleophiles have not yet been realized. Herein, we demonstrate that the bench-stable closo-hexaborate cluster anion can engage in a nucleophilic substitution reaction with a wide array of organic and main-group electrophiles. The resulting molecules containing B‒C bonds can be further converted to tricoordinate boron species widely used in organic synthesis.

We report the development of a new class of phosphorescent zwitterionic bis(heteroleptic) Ir(III) compounds containing pyridyl ligands with weakly coordinating nido-carboranyl substituents. Treatment of phenylpyridine-based Ir(III) precursors with C-substituted ortho-carboranylpyridines in 2-ethoxyethanol results in a facile carborane deboronation and the formation of robust and highly luminescent metal complexes. The resulting nido-carboranyl fragments associate with the cationic Ir(III) center through primarily electrostatic interactions. These compounds phosphoresce at blue wavelengths (450-470 nm) both in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix and in solution at 77 K. These complexes display structural stability at temperatures beyond 300 °C and quantum yields greater than 40%. Importantly, the observed quantum yields correspond to a dramatic 10-fold enhancement over the previously reported Ir(III) congeners featuring carboranyl-containing ligands in which the boron cluster is covalently attached to the metal. Ultimately, this work suggests that the use of a ligand framework containing a weakly coordinating anionic component can provide a new avenue for designing efficient Ir(III)-based phosphorescent emitters.

Carboranes are boron-rich molecules that can be functionalized through metal-catalyzed cross-coupling. Here, for the first time, we report the use of bromo-carboranes in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling for efficient B-N, B-O, and unprecedented B-CN bond formation. In many cases bromo-carboranes outperform the traditionally utilized iodo-carborane species. This marked difference in reactivity is leveraged to circumvent multistep functionalization by directly coupling small nucleophiles (-OH, -NH2, and -CN) and multiple functional groups onto the boron-rich clusters.

Over the past several decades, metal-catalyzed cross-coupling has emerged as a very powerful strategy to functionalize carbon-based molecules. More recently, some of the cross-coupling methodologies have been adapted to inorganic compounds including boron-rich clusters. The development of this chemistry relies on the ability to synthesize halogenated boron-rich clusters which can serve as electrophilic cross-coupling partners with nucleophilic substrates in the presence of a metal catalyst. While the cross-coupling chemistry with boron-clusters is conceptually reminiscent to that of its hydrocarbon counterparts, several key aspects including the spheroidal bulk of clusters, and the distinct nature of boron-halogen / boron-heteroatom bonds make this chemistry unique. The utility of metal-catalyzed cross-coupling can be extended to several classes of polyhedral boranes including neutral and anionic carboranes, metallaboranes, and carbon-free boranes. Importantly, cross-coupling enables a suite of boron-heteroatom (C, N, O, P, S) couplings to prepare boron cluster-based systems that can be used for ligand design, medicinal chemistry, and materials applications.

We report improved methods utilizing orthogonal chemistry to achieve efficient substitution at electron-rich B-vertices and electron-poor C-vertices of carborane. Functionalization of B-vertices with alkyl and (hetero)aryl groups using corresponding Grignard reagents has been improved by the use of a Pd-based precatalyst featuring an electron-rich biaryl phosphine ligand. Using the developed catalytic conditions lead to cross-coupling transformations achieved within several hours. Importantly, this method is applicable towards alkyl-based Grignard reagents containing β-hydrogens. Additionally, transition metal-free substitution of (hetero)aryl substrates on C-vertices was developed under SNAr conditions. The selective substitution of carboranes afforded by these methods holds potential for the rational synthesis of heterofunctionalized boron clusters with substituents on both boron and carbon-based vertices.

Nickel(IV) bis(dicarbollide) is incorporated in a zirconium-based metal–organic framework (MOF), NU-1000, to create an electrically conductive MOF with mesoporosity. All the nickel bis(dicarbollide) units are located as guest molecules in the microporous channels of NU-1000, which permits the further incorporation of other active species in the remaining mesopores. For demonstration, manganese oxide is installed on the nodes of the electrically conductive MOF. The electrochemically addressable fraction and specific capacitance of the manganese oxide in the conductive framework are more than 10 times higher than those of the manganese oxide in the parent MOF.

Reactions based on transition metals have found wide use in organic synthesis, in particular for the functionalization of small molecules. However, there are very few reports of using transition-metal-based reactions to modify complex biomolecules, which is due to the need for stringent reaction conditions (for example, aqueous media, low temperature and mild pH) and the existence of multiple reactive functional groups found in biomolecules. Here we report that palladium(II) complexes can be used for efficient and highly selective cysteine conjugation (bioconjugation) reactions that are rapid and robust under a range of bio-compatible reaction conditions. The straightforward synthesis of the palladium reagents from diverse and easily accessible aryl halide and trifluoromethanesulfonate precursors makes the method highly practical, providing access to a large structural space for protein modification. The resulting aryl bioconjugates are stable towards acids, bases, oxidants and external thiol nucleophiles. The broad utility of the bioconjugation platform was further corroborated by the synthesis of new classes of stapled peptides and antibody-drug conjugates. These palladium complexes show potential as benchtop reagents for diverse bioconjugation applications.

Electrochemical systems offer a versatile means for creating adaptive devices. However, the utility of electrochemical deposition is inherently limited by the properties of the electrolyte. The development of ionic liquids enables electrodeposition in high-vacuum environments and presents opportunities for creating electrochemically adaptive and regenerative spacecraft components. In this work, we developed a silver-rich, boron cluster ionic liquid (BCIL) for reversible electrodeposition of silver films. This air and moisture stable electrolyte was used to deposit metallic films in an electrochemical cell to tune the emissivity of the cell in situ, demonstrating a proof-of-concept design for spacecraft thermal control.

Author(s): Axtell, Jonathan C; Kirlikovali, Kent O; Dziedzic, Rafal M; Gembicky, Milan; Rheingold, Arnold L; Spokoyny, Alexander M

We report the first observed Pd-catalyzed isomerization (“cage-walking”) of B(9)-bromo-meta-carborane during Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling, which enables the formation of B–O and B–N bonds at all boron vertices (B(2), B(4), B(5), and B(9)) of meta-carborane. Experimental and theoretical studies suggest this isomerization mechanism is strongly influenced by the steric crowding at the Pd catalyst by either a biaryl phosphine ligand and/or substrate. Ultimately, this “cage-walking” process provides a unique pathway to preferentially introduce functional groups at the B(2) vertex using B(9)-bromo-meta-carborane as the sole starting material through substrate control.

200 years of research with carbon-rich molecules have shaped the development of modern chemistry. Research pertaining to the chemistry of boron-rich species has historically trailed behind its more distinguished neighbor (carbon) in the periodic table. Notably, a potentially rich and, in many cases, unmatched field of coordination chemistry using boron-rich clusters remains fundamentally underdeveloped. Our work has been devoted to examining several basic concepts related to the functionalization of icosahedral boron-rich clusters and their use as ligands, aimed at designing fundamentally new hybrid molecular motifs and materials. Particularly interesting are icosahedral carboranes, which can be regarded as 3D analogs of benzene. These species comprise a class of boron-rich clusters that were discovered in the 1950s during the “space race” while researchers were developing energetic materials for rocket fuels. Ultimately, the unique chemical and physical properties of carborane species, such as rigidity, indefinite stability to air and moisture, and 3D aromaticity, may allow one to access a set of properties not normally available in carbon-based chemistry. While technically these species are considered as inorganic clusters, the chemical properties they possess make these boron-rich species suitable for replacing and/or altering structural and functional features of the organic and organometallic molecules—a phenomenon best described as “organomimetic”. Aside from purely fundamental features associated with the organomimetic chemistry of icosahedral carboranes, their use can also provide new avenues in the development of systems relevant to solving current problems associated with energy production, storage, and conversion.

We report a discovery that perfunctionalized icosahedral dodecaborate clusters of the type B_(12)(OCH_2Ar)_(12) (Ar = Ph or C_6F_5) can undergo photo-excitation with visible light, leading to a new class of metal-free photooxidants. Excitation in these species occurs as a result of the charge transfer between low-lying orbitals located on the benzyl substituents and an unoccupied orbital delocalized throughout the boron cluster core. Here we show how these species, photo-excited with a benchtop blue LED source, can exhibit excited-state reduction potentials as high as 3 V and can participate in electron-transfer processes with a broad range of styrene monomers, initiating their polymerization. Initiation is observed in cases of both electron-rich and electron-deficient styrene monomers at cluster loadings as low as 0.005 mol%. Furthermore, photo-excitation of B_(12)(OCH_2C_6F_5)_(12) in the presence of a less activated olefin such as isobutylene results in the production of highly branched poly(isobutylene). This work introduces a new class of air-stable, metal-free photo-redox reagents capable of mediating chemical transformations.

In contrast to the plethora of metal-catalyzed cross-coupling methods available for the installation of functional groups on aromatic hydrocarbons, a comparable variety of methods are currently not available for icosahedral carboranes, which are boron-rich three-dimensional aromatic analogues of aryl groups. Part of this is due to the limited understanding of the elementary steps for cross-coupling involving carboranes. Here, we report our efforts in isolating metal-boryl complexes to further our understanding of one of these elementary steps, oxidative addition. Structurally characterized examples of group 10 M-B bonds featuring icosahedral carboranes are completely unknown. Use of mercurocarboranes as a reagent to deliver M-B bonds saw divergent reactivity for platinum and palladium, with a Pt-B bond being isolated for the former, and a rare Pd-Hg bond being formed for the latter.

One of the most effective ways to tune the electronic properties of conjugated polymers is to dope them with small-molecule oxidizing agents, creating holes on the polymer and molecular anions. Undesirably, strong electrostatic attraction from the anions of most dopants localizes the holes created on the polymer, reducing their mobility. Here, a new strategy utilizing a substituted boron cluster as a molecular dopant for conjugated polymers is employed. By designing the cluster to have a high redox potential and steric protection of the core-localized electron density, highly delocalized polarons with mobilities equivalent to films doped with no anions present are obtained. AC Hall effect measurements show that P3HT films doped with these boron clusters have conductivities and polaron mobilities roughly an order of magnitude higher than films doped with F4 TCNQ, even though the boron-cluster-doped films have poor crystallinity. Moreover, the number of free carriers approximately matches the number of boron clusters, yielding a doping efficiency of ≈100%. These results suggest that shielding the polaron from the anion is a critically important aspect for producing high carrier mobility, and that the high polymer crystallinity required with dopants such as F4 TCNQ is primarily to keep the counterions far from the polymer backbone.

We have prepared the first examples of B9-connected trivalent aryl and alkyl phosphinoborane species via Pd-catalyzed phosphination of 9-iodo-meta-carborane. Our studies highlight the unique electronic features of the B9-connected meta-carboranyl moiety as compared to its C1-based analogue. This work suggests that the B9-functionalized meta-carboranyl substituent in these ligands exhibits more electron-releasing character than any other known carbon-based substituent, ultimately laying the foundation for a new class of phosphine ligands with extremely electron-rich character.

Although the majority of ligands in modern chemistry take advantage of carbon-based substituent effects to tune the sterics and electronics of coordinating moieties, we describe here how icosahedral carboranes-boron-rich clusters-can influence metal-ligand interactions. Using a series of phosphine-thioether chelating ligands featuring meta- or ortho-carboranes grafted on the sulfur atom, we were able to tune the lability of the platinum-sulfur interaction of platinum(II)-thioether complexes. Experimental observations, supported by computational work, show that icosahedral carboranes can act either as strong electron-withdrawing ligands or electron-donating moieties (similar to aryl- or alkyl-based groups, respectively), depending on which atom of the carborane cage is attached to the thioether moiety. These and similar results with carborane-selenol derivatives suggest that, in contrast to carbon-based ligands, icosahedral carboranes exhibit a significant dichotomy in their coordination chemistry, and can be used as a versatile class of electronically tunable building blocks for various ligand platforms.

A series of homoligated Ni(II) complexes formed from two phosphino thioether (P,S) chelating ligands has been synthesized and characterized. Interestingly, this included octahedral Ni(II) complexes which, unlike previously characterized d(8) Rh(I), Pt(II), and Pd(II) analogues, exhibit in situ exchange processes centered around chloride ligand dissociation. This was verified and studied through the controlled abstraction from and introduction of chloride ions to this system, which showed that these processes proceed through complexes with square pyramidal, tetrahedral, and square planar geometries. These complexes were studied with a variety of characterization methods, including single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, solution (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. A general set of synthetic procedures that involve the use of coordinating and noncoordinating counteranions, as well as different hemilabile ligands, to mediate geometry transformations are presented.

The synthesis and hydrogen uptake properties of metal−organic framework (MOFs) materials based on carboranes have been investigated. These are the first MOFs to make use of boron-rich components as building blocksspecifically, the deprotonated form of 1,12-dihydroxycarbonyl-1,12-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane. In evacuated form the initially obtained compound, featuring zinc-coordinated solvent molecules, displays modest H2 uptake at 77 K and 1 atm. Upon removal of the coordinated solvent, however, the uptake triples (2.1 wt. %), the heat of adsorption substantially increases, and the structure adjusts such that the pore size decreases.