Synthesis and crystal structure of a novel fused polyhedral borane dianion, [B22H22]2-: Potential precursor for use in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of cancer

Abstract

A novel polyhedral borane cluster, {[η5-C5H5)Fe(η5-C 5H4CH2(Me)3N)]+2 [B22H22]2-} (1), was synthesized in 60% yield from the oxidative coupling reaction involving [B11H14]- ions in a mixed aqueous and organic media. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 1 showed it to be a fused polyhedron in which an open (nido) decaborane cage is fused to a closed (closo) dodecaborane cluster by eliminating two bridging hydrogens on the B10-cage and two terminal hydrogens on the B12-cluster.