文摘
The reaction between selected X-nido-5,6-Cb>2b>Bb>8b>Hb>11b> compounds (where X = Cl, Br, I) and “Proton Sponge” [PS; 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene], followed by acidification, results in extensive rearrangement of all cage vertices. Specifically, deprotonation of 7-X-5,6-Cb>2b>Bb>8b>Hb>11b> compounds with one equivalent of PS in hexane or CHb>2b>Clb>2b> at ambient temperature led to a 7 → 10 halogen rearrangement, forming a series of PSH+[10-X-5,6-Cb>2b>Bb>8b>Hb>10b>]− salts. Reprotonation using concentrated Hb>2b>SOb>4b> in CHb>2b>Clb>2b> generates a series of neutral carbaboranes 10-X-5,6-Cb>2b>Bb>8b>Hb>11b>, with the overall 7 → 10 conversion being 75%, 95%, and 100% for X = Cl, Br, and I, respectively. Under similar conditions, 4-Cl-5,6-Cb>2b>Bb>8b>Hb>11b> gave ∼66% conversion to 3-Cl-5,6-Cb>2b>Bb>8b>Hb>11b>. Since these rearrangements could not be rationalized using the B-vertex swing mechanism, new cage rearrangement mechanisms, which are substantiated using DFT calculations, have been proposed. Experimental 11B NMR chemical shifts are well reproduced by the computations; as expected δ(11B) for B(10) atoms in derivatives with X = Br and I are heavily affected by spin–orbit coupling.