Silicon(IV) and Germanium(IV) Moieties Stabilized by the Charge-Compensated Carborane Ligand [9-SMe2-7,8-C2B9H10]−: Synthetic and Structural Investigation

Reaction of the charge-compensated carborane anion [9-SMe 2 -7,8-C 2 B 9 H 10 ] − ( 1 − ) with Me 2 ECl 2 and Me 3 ECl (E = Si, Ge) leads to the carboranes η 1 -8-EMe 2 Cl-9-SMe 2 -7,8-C 2 B 9 H 10 ( 2a, b ) and (EMe 3 )(9-SMe 2 -7,8-C 2 B 9 H 10 ) ( 3a, b ), respectively. Compound 3a was found to react readily with FeCl 2 to form Fe(η 5 -9-SMe 2 -7,8-C 2 B 9 H 10 ) 2 ( 4 ). All products were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and chemical analysis. Compounds 2a, b were additionally characterized by X-ray crystallography. The two compounds are isostructural with the carborane η 1 -bonded to the Si or Ge through the cage carbon adjacent to the boron having the SMe 2 substituent.