Reduction-induced facile isomerisation of metallacarboranes: synthesis and crystallographic characterisation of 4-Cp-4,1,2-closo-CoC2B9H11

Abstract

One-electron reduction of 3-Cp-3,1,2-closo-CoC₂B₉H₁₁ followed by heating to reflux in DME (b.p. 85 °C) induces isomerisation to 4-Cp-4,1,2-closo-CoC₂B₉H₁₁, a compound previously only synthesised at much higher temperatures (>380 °C). The 4,1,2-isomer has been thoroughly characterised both spectroscopically and crystallographically.