Novel Iridaboranes from the Reactions of Cp*2Ir2HxCl4-x,x= 0−2, with LiBH4. Existence of a Concurrent Reaction Channel in the Conversion of Metal Chlorides to Metal Hydrides

Reaction of either Cp* 2 Ir 2 Cl 4 or Cp* 2 Ir 2 HCl 3 with LiBH 4 leads to formation of the new iridaborane Cp*Ir(H) 2 B 3 H 7, 1 (a borallyl complex), in parallel with Cp*IrH 4 . In contrast, reaction of Cp* 2 Ir 2 H 2 Cl 2 with LiBH 4 leads exclusively to Cp* 2 Ir 2 (H) 3 B 2 H 5, 3, which is isolobal with 1 .