Carborane radical anions : spectroscopic and electronic properties of a carborane radical anion with a 2n + 3 skeletal electron count.

Abstract

One-electron reduction of the well-known carborane 1,2-Ph2-1,2-C2B10H10 (1) gives rise to a stable carborane radical anion ([1]–) with a true 2n + 3 cluster electron count; the geometry of ([1]–) features an elongated CC cage distance but no significant -bonding interactions between the cage and the phenyl substituents.