Synthesis, structural characterization, and reactivity studies of 5-CF3SO3-B10H13.

In contrast to previous reactions carried out in cyclopentane solvent at room temperature that produced 6-TfO-B10H13 (TfO = CF3SO3), the reaction of closo-B10H10(2-) with a large excess of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (bmimOTf) gave exclusively the previously unknown 5-TfO-B10H13 isomer. Experimental and computational studies demonstrated that the difference in the products of the two reactions is a result of 6-TfO-B10H13 isomerizing to 5-TfO-B10H13 above room temperature in bmimOTf solutions. Reactivity studies showed that 5-TfO-B10H13: (1) is deprotonated by reaction with 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene to form the 5-TfO-B10H12(1-) anion; (2) reacts with alcohols to produce 6-RO-B10H13 boryl ethers (R = Me and 4-CH3O-C6H4); (3) undergoes olefin-hydroboration reactions to form 5-TfO-6,9-R2-B10H11 derivatives; and (4) forms a 5-TfO-6,9-(Me2S)2-B10H11 adduct at its Lewis acidic 6,9-borons upon reaction with dimethylsulfide.

Syntheses and characterizations of linear triborazanes.

Reaction of the amine boranes NH2(R)BH3, where R = H, Me, and Bz, with 1/3 equiv of sodium hexamethyldisilazane produced the five-membered, linear aminoborane anions Na(+)[BH3N(R)HBH2N(R)HBH3(-)], where R = H (1), Me (1Me), and benzyl (1Bz). Reactions of 1 and 1Me with ammonium chloride and methylammonium chloride, respectively, resulted in elimination of NaCl and H2 to produce the linear triborazanes BH3(RNHBH2)2N(R)H2, where R = H (2) and Me (2Me), with the structure of 2 crystallographically confirmed. The reactions of 1 and 1Me with pyridine-HCl produced the pyridine-capped aminoboranes H3B(RNHBH2)2(NC5H5), where R = H (3) and Me (3Me).

Syntheses and structural characterizations of inorganic ansa-metallocene analogues: ansa-ferratricarbadecaboranes.

New linked cyclopentadienyl-tricarbadecaboranyl and bis-tricarbadecaboranyl dianions have been used to form the first examples of ansa-metallatricarbadecaboranyl complexes. The hybrid cyclopentadienyl-tricarbadecaboranyl dianion, Li2(+)[6-C5H4-(CH2)2-nido-5,6,9-C3B7H9](2-) (1), was produced by an initial carbon-insertion reaction of a nitrile-substituted cyclopentadiene with the arachno-4,6-C2B7H12(-) anion, followed by deprotonation to the dianion with LiH. The linked-cage bis-tricarbadecaboranyl dianion, Li2(+)[6,6'-(CH2)2-nido-(5,6,9-C3B7H9)2](2-) (2), was produced by a similar carbon-insertion route involving the reaction of two equivalents of arachno-4,6-C2B7H12(-) with succinonitrile.

Iridium and ruthenium catalyzed syntheses, hydroborations, and metathesis reactions of alkenyl-decaboranes.

The selective syntheses of new classes of 6,9-dialkenyl- and 6-alkenyl-decaboranes and 6-alkyl-9-alkenyl-decaboranes have been achieved via iridium and ruthenium catalyzed decaborane and 6-alkyl-decaborane alkyne-hydroborations. Reactions employing [Cp*IrCl2]2 and [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2 precatalysts gave β-E-alkenyl-decaboranes, while the corresponding reactions with [RuI2(p-cymene)]2 gave the α-alkenyl-decaborane isomers, with the differences in product selectivity suggesting quite different mechanistic steps for the catalysts. The alkenyl-decaboranes were easily converted to other useful derivatives, including coupled-cage and functionally substituted compounds, via iridium-catalyzed hydroborations and ruthenium-catalyzed homo and cross olefin-metathesis reactions.

New palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling routes to carbon functionalized metallatricarbadecaboranes.

A general method for the synthesis of cage-carbon-functionalized cyclopentadienyl iron and cyclopentadienyl ruthenium tricarbadecaboranyl complexes has been developed that employs palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira, Heck, and Stille cross-coupling reactions directed at a cage-carbon haloaryl substituent. The key Li(+)[6-(p-XC(6)H(4))-nido-5,6,9-C(3)B(7)H(9)(-)] (X = I (1), Br (2), Cl (3)) haloaryl-tricarbadecaboranyl anionic ligands were synthesized in high yields via the reaction of the arachno-4,6-C(2)B(7)H(12)(-) anion with the corresponding p-halobenzonitriles (p-XC(6)H(4)-CN). The reactions of the salts 1-3 with (η(5)-C(5)H(5))Fe(CO)(2)I and (η(5)-C(5)H(5))Ru(CH(3)CN)(3)PF(6) were then used to produce the haloaryl complexes 1-(η(5)-C(5)H(5))-2-(p-XC(6)H(4))-closo-1,2,3,4-MC(3)B(7)H(9) (M = Fe, X = I (4), Br (5), Cl (6) and M = Ru, X = I (7), Br (8), Cl (9)).

Syntheses and structural characterizations of anionic borane-capped ammonia borane oligomers: evidence for ammonia borane H2 release via a base-promoted anionic dehydropolymerization mechanism.

Studies of the activating effect of Verkade's base, 2,8,9-triisobutyl-2,5,8,9-tetraaza-1-phosphabicyclo[3.3.3]undecane (VB), on the rate and extent of H(2) release from ammonia borane (AB) have led to the syntheses and structural characterizations of three anionic aminoborane chain-growth products that provide direct support for anionic dehydropolymerization mechanistic steps in the initial stages of base-promoted AB H(2) release reactions.

Syntheses and surprising regioselectivity of 5- and 6-substituted decaboranyl ethers via the nucleophilic attack of alcohols on 6- and 5-halodecaboranes.

The selective syntheses of new classes of decaboranyl ethers containing a range of functional groups substituted at the B5 or B6 positions were achieved through the reaction of alcohols with halodecaboranes. The surprising regioselectivity of the reaction, where the reaction of the 6-halodecaboranes (6-X-B(10)H(13)) with alcohols yielded the 5-substituted decaboranyl ethers (5-RO-B(10)H(13)) and the reaction with 5-halodecaboranes (5-X-B(10)H(13)) gave the 6-substituted decaboranyl ethers (6-RO-B(10)H(13)), was confirmed by NMR and X-ray crystallographic analyses. The crystallographic determinations also showed that the decaboranyl ethers had shortened B-O bonds and apparent sp(2) hybridization at oxygen indicating significant π-backbonding from oxygen to the cage boron.

Transition metal catalysed ammonia-borane dehydrogenation in ionic liquids.

Significant advantages result from combining the disparate hydrogen release pathways for ammonia-borane (AB) dehydrogenation using ionic liquids (ILs) and transition metal catalysts. With the RuCl(2)(PMe(3))(4) catalyst precursor, AB dehydrogenation selectivity and extent are maximized in an IL with a moderately coordinating ethylsulfate anion.

Ruthenium-catalyzed metathesis reactions of ortho- and meta-dialkenyl-carboranes: efficient ring-closing and acyclic diene polymerization reactions.

The ruthenium-catalyzed metathesis reactions of dialkenyl-substituted ortho- and meta-carboranes provide excellent routes to both cyclic-substituted o-carboranes and new types of main-chain m-carborane polymers. The adjacent positions of the two olefins in the 1,2-(alkenyl)(2)-o-carboranes strongly favor the formation of ring-closed (RCM) products with the reactions of 1,2-(CH(2)=CHCH(2))(2)-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (1), 1,2-(CH(2)=CH(CH(2))(3)CH(2))(2)-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (2), 1,2-(CH(2)=CHSiMe(2))(2)-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (3), 1,2-(CH(2)=CHCH(2)SiMe(2))(2)-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (4), and 1,2-[CH(2)=CH(CH(2))(4)SiMe(2)](2)-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (5) affording 1,2-(-CH(2)CH=CHCH(2)-)-C(2)B(10)H(10) (10), 1,2-[-CH(2)(CH(2))(3)CH=CH(CH(2))(3)CH(2)-]-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (11), 1,2-[-SiMe(2)CH=CHSiMe(2)-]-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (12), 1,2-[-SiMe(2)CH(2)CH=CHCH(2)SMe(2)-]-C(2)B(10)H(10) (13), and 1,2-[-SiMe(2)(CH(2))(4)CH=CH(CH(2))(4)SiMe(2)-]-C(2)B(10)H(10) (14), respectively, in 72-97% yields. On the other hand, the reaction of 1,2-(CH(2)-CHCH(2)OC(=O))(2)-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10) (6) gave cyclo-[1,2-(1',8'-C(=O)OCH(2)CH=CHCH(2)OC(=O))-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(10)](2) (15a) and polymer 15b resulting from intermolecular metathesis reactions.

Metal-catalyzed decaborane-alkyne hydroboration reactions: efficient routes to alkenyldecaboranes.

Transition-metal-catalyzed decaborane-alkyne hydroboration reactions have been developed that provide high-yield routes to the previously unknown di- and monoalkenyldecaboranes. These alkenyl derivatives should be easily modified starting materials for many biomedical and/or materials applications. Unusual catalyst product selectivity was observed that suggests quite different mechanistic steps, with the reactions catalyzed by the [RuCl(2)(p-cymene)](2) and [Cp*IrCl(2)](2) complexes giving the beta-E alkenyldecaboranes and the corresponding reactions with the [RuI(2)(p-cymene)](2) complex giving the alpha-alkenyldecaborane isomers.

Efficient syntheses of 5-X-B(10)H(13) Halodecaboranes via the photochemical (X = I) and/or base-catalyzed (X = Cl, Br, I) isomerization reactions of 6-X-B(10)H(13).

High yield syntheses of the 5-X-B(10)H(13) (5X) halodecaboranes have been achieved through the photochemical (X = I) or base-catalyzed (X = Cl, Br, I) isomerization reactions of their 6-X-B(10)H(13) (6X) isomers. 5I was obtained in 80% isolated yield upon the UV photolysis of 6I. Treatment of 6X (X = Cl, Br, I) with catalytic amounts of triethylamine at 60 degrees C led to the formation of 78:22 (Cl), 82:18 (Br), and 86:14 (I) ratio 5X/6X equilibrium mixtures.

Ammonia borane hydrogen release in ionic liquids.

The rate and extent of H(2)-release from ammonia borane (AB), a promising, high-capacity hydrogen storage material, was found to be enhanced in ionic-liquid solutions. For example, AB reactions in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (bmimCl) (50:50-wt %) exhibited no induction period and released 1.0 H(2)-equiv in 67 min and 2.

Base-promoted ammonia borane hydrogen-release.

The strong non-nucleophilic base bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene (Proton Sponge, PS) has been found to promote the rate and extent of H(2)-release from ammonia borane (AB) either in the solid state or in ionic-liquid and tetraglyme solutions. For example, AB reactions in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (bmimCl) containing 5.3 mol % PS released 2 equiv of H(2) in 171 min at 85 degrees C and only 9 min at 110 degrees C, whereas comparable reactions without PS required 316 min at 85 degrees C and 20 min at 110 degrees C.

Ammonia triborane: a new synthesis, structural determinations, and hydrolytic hydrogen-release properties.

Iodine oxidation of B(3)H(8)(-) in glyme solution to produce (glyme)B(3)H(7), followed by displacement of the coordinated glyme by reaction with anhydrous ammonia provides a safe and convenient preparation of ammonia triborane, NH(3)B(3)H(7) (1). X-ray crystallographic determinations and DFT computational studies of both NH(3)B(3)H(7) and the NH(3)B(3)H(7) x 18-crown-6 adduct demonstrate that while computations predict a symmetric single bridging-hydrogen conformation, NH(3)B(3)H(7) has a highly asymmetric structure in the solid-state that results from intermolecular N-H(+)..

Ionic-liquid-promoted decaborane olefin-hydroboration: a new efficient route to 6-R-B10H13 derivatives.

Unlike in conventional organic solvents where transition metal catalysts are required, decaborane olefin-hydroboration reactions have been found to proceed in biphasic ionic-liquid/toluene mixtures with a wide variety of olefins, including alkyl, alkenyl, halo, phenyl, ether, ester, pinacolborane, ketone, and alcohol-substituted olefins, and these reactions now provide simple high-yield routes to 6-R-B10H13 derivatives. Best results were observed for reactions with bmimX (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, X = Cl(-) or BF4(-)) and bmpyX (1-butyl-4-methylpyridinium, X = Cl(-) or BF4(-)). Both the experimental data for these reactions and separate studies of the reactions of B10H13(-) salts with olefins indicate a reaction sequence involving (1) the ionic-liquid-promoted formation of the B10H13(-) anion as the essential initial step, (2) the addition of the B10H13(-) anion to the olefin to form a 6-R-B10H12(-) anion, and finally, (3) protonation of 6-R-B10H12(-) to form the final neutral 6-R-B10H13 product.

Computational studies of the reactions of B10H13- with alkynes and olefins: pathways for dehydrogenative alkyne-insertion and olefin-hydroboration reactions.

Quantum mechanical computational studies of possible mechanistic pathways for B10H13(-) dehydrogenative alkyne-insertion and olefin-hydroboration reactions demonstrate that, depending on the reactant and reaction conditions, B10H13(-) can function as either an electrophile or nucleophile. For reactions with nucleophilic alkynes, such as propyne, the calculations indicate that at the temperatures (approximately 110-120 degrees C) required for these reactions, the ground-state B10H13(-) (1) structure can rearrange to an electrophilic-type cage structure 3 having a LUMO orbital strongly localized on the B6 cage-boron. Alkyne binding at this site followed by subsequent steps involving the formation of additional boron-carbon bonds, hydrogen elimination, protonation, and further hydrogen elimination then lead in a straightforward manner to the experimentally observed ortho-carborane products resulting from alkyne insertion into the decaborane framework.

Ionic-liquid-promoted decaborane dehydrogenative alkyne-insertion reactions: a new route to o-carboranes.

Unlike in conventional organic solvents, where Lewis base catalysts are required, decaborane dehydrogenative alkyne-insertion reactions proceed rapidly in biphasic ionic-liquid/toluene mixtures with a wide variety of terminal and internal alkynes, thus providing efficient, one-step routes to functional o-carborane 1-R-1,2-C2B10H11 and 1-R-2-R'-1,2-C2B10H10 derivatives, including R = C6H5- (1), C6H13- (2), HC[triple bond]C-(CH2)5- (3), (1-C2B10H11)-(CH2)5- (4), CH3CH2C(O)OCH2- (5), (C2H5)2NCH2- (6), NC-(CH2)3- (7), 3-HC[triple bond]C-C6H4- (8), (1-C2B10H11)-1,3-C6H4- (9), HC[triple bond]C-CH2-O-CH2- (10); R,R' = C2H5- (11); R = HOCH2-, R' = CH3- (12); R = BrCH2-; R' = CH3- (13); R = H2C=C(CH3)-, R' = C2H5- (14). The best results were obtained from reactions with only catalytic amounts of bmimCl (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride), where in many cases reaction times of less than 20 min were required. The experimental data for these reactions, the results observed for the reactions of B10H13(-) salts with alkynes, and the computational studies reported in the third paper in this series all support a reaction sequence involving (1) the initial ionic liquid promoted formation of the B10H13(-) anion, (2) addition of B10H13(-) to the alkyne to form an arachno-R,R'-C2B10H13(-) anion, and (3) protonation of arachno-R,R'-C2B10H13(-) to form the final neutral 1-R-2-R'-1,2-C2B10H10 product with loss of hydrogen.

Double-walled boron nitride nanotubes grown by floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition.

One-dimensional nanostructures exhibit quantum confinement which leads to unique electronic properties, making them attractive as the active elements for nanoscale electronic devices. Boron nitride nanotubes are of particular interest since, unlike carbon nanotubes, all chiralities are semiconducting. Here, we report a synthesis based on the use of low pressures of the molecular precursor borazine in conjunction with a floating nickelocene catalyst that resulted in the formation of double-walled boron nitride nanotubes.

Crystallographic characterizations and new high-yield synthetic routes for the complete series of 6-X-B10H13 halodecaboranes (X = F, Cl, Br, I) via superacid-induced cage-opening reactions of closo-B10H10(2-).

The high-yield syntheses of 6-X-B 10H 13 [X = Cl (88%), Br (96%), I (84%)] resulted from the cage-opening reactions of the (NH 4 (+)) 2B 10H 10 (2-) salt with ionic-liquid-based superacidic hydrogen halides, while both the previously unknown 6-F-B 10H 13 (77%) derivative and 6-Cl-B 10H 13 (90%) were synthesized in high yields via the reactions of (NH 4 (+)) 2B 10H 10 (2-) with triflic acid in the presence of 1-fluoropentane and dichloromethane, respectively. Structural characterizations of 1- 4 confirm the predicted structures and indicate strong halogen back-bonding interactions with the B6 boron. The reaction of 6-Br-B 10H 13 with Bu 3SnH produced the parent B 10H 14 in 70% yield, and thus, this reaction, in conjunction with the haloacid-induced closo-B 10H 10 (2-) cage-opening reactions, has the potential to provide an alternative to the traditional diborane pyrolysis route to decaborane.

Synthesis, characterization, and computational studies of 6-(RR'N)-nido-5,7-C2B8H11: a polyborane cluster with a cage-boron having an exopolyhedral dative boron-nitrogen double bond.

The reactions of the arachno-4,6-C 2B 7H 13 carborane with the secondary and primary amines, Me 2NHBH 3 and ( t )BuNH 2BH 3, in ionic liquid media result in both boron-insertion into the cage at a position across the two cage-carbons and additional hydrogen-elimination via the reaction of a hydridic B-H with a protonic amine N-H hydrogen to produce the 6-(RR'N)- nido-5,7-C 2B 8H 11 carboranes. Computational characterizations of these compounds and the previously reported 6-ClC 6H 4-9-(RR'N)- nido-6-NB 9H 10 azaboranes indicate that the amine-nitrogens form unique exopolyhedral dative BN double bonds with a cage-boron.

Ammonia triborane: a promising new candidate for amineborane-based chemical hydrogen storage.

A convenient and safe method for the synthesis of ammonia triborane is reported along with studies of its hydrolytic reactions that demonstrate ammonia triborane is both soluble and stable in water but that upon the addition of acid or an appropriate transition metal catalyst it rapidly releases hydrogen. These studies indicate that ammonia triborane is a promising material for chemical hydrogen storage applications.

Chemistry of mangana- and rhenatricarbadecaboranyl tricarbonyl complexes: evidence for an associative mechanism of ligand substitution involving an eta6-eta4 cage-slippage process analagous to eta5-eta3-cyclopentadienyl ring-slippage.

The reaction of the tricarbadecaboranyl anion, 6-Ph-nido-5,6,9-C(3)B(7)H(9)(-), with M(CO)(5)Br [M = Mn, Re] or [(eta(6)-C(10)H(8))Mn(CO)(3)(+)]BF(4)(-) yielded the half-sandwich metallatricarbadecaboranyl analogues of (eta(5)-C(5)H(5))M(CO)(3) [M = Mn, Re]. For both 1,1,1-(CO)(3)-2-Ph-closo-1,2,3,4-MC(3)B(7)H(9) [M = Mn (2) and Re (3)], the metal is eta(6)-coordinated to the puckered six-membered open face of the tricarbadecaboranyl cage. Reactions of 2 and 3 with isocyanide at room temperature produced complexes 8-(CNBu(t))-8,8,8-(CO)(3)-9-Ph-nido-8,7,9,10-MC(3)B(7)H(9) [M = Mn (4), Re (5)], having the cage eta(4)-coordinated to the metal.

Amineborane-based chemical hydrogen storage: enhanced ammonia borane dehydrogenation in ionic liquids.

Ionic liquids are shown to provide advantageous media for amineborane-based chemical hydrogen storage systems. Both the extent and rate of hydrogen release from ammonia borane dehydrogenation are significantly increased at 85, 90, and 95 degrees C when the reactions are carried out in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride compared to analogous solid-state reactions. NMR studies in conjunction with DFT/GIAO chemical shift calculations indicate that both polyaminoborane and the diammoniate of diborane, [(NH3)2BH2+]BH4-, are initial products in the reactions.

Improved synthetic route to n-B18H22.

Simple iodine oxidation of the B(9)H(12)(-) anion in toluene at room temperature reliably gives excellent yields ( approximately 80%) of n-B(18)H(22) (anti-B(18)H(22)) and thus provides a convenient, large-scale, safe route to this important polyborane cluster.

Polyborane reactions in ionic liquids: new efficient routes to functionalized decaborane and o-carborane clusters.

In contrast to reactions that have been observed in traditional organic solvents, decaborane olefin-hydroboration and alkyne-insertion reactions have been found to proceed in ionic liquid solvents without the need of a catalyst. These reactions now provide important new, high-yield synthetic pathways to functionalized decaborane and o-carborane clusters.