Reactions of lithio-o-carborane with isocyanates under various conditions were studied, and the structural features of the resulting carboranylamides are described. The reactions of o-carborane (o-C2B10H12), n-BuLi (two equiv.) and two equiv. of (substituted) phenylisocyanate, pentylisocyanate and p-ethylphenylthioisocyanate in diethyl ether, respectively, led, after workup, to the corresponding mono-substituted carboranylamide 2a–g and carboranylthioamide 5 in low to moderate yields, and only with RNCO (R = Ph, m-MeOC6H4, pentyl) could disubstituted products 3a–c be isolated. The reaction with phenylisocyanate afforded the mono-amide and di-amide products in a ratio of approximately 1:2, whereas in the other two reactions the ratios are approximately 4:1 and 3:2, respectively. In tetrahydrofuran all the reactions attempted with RNCO (R = Ph, p-IC6H4, m-NCC6H4 and pentyl) gave more monoamide products than those in diethyl ether. With phenylisocyanate no diamide product was isolated and with pentylisocyanate the ratio between monoamide and diamide is approximately 3.5:1. The new carboranylamides were characterized by means of elemental analyses, IR and NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of 2a–f, 3a and 5.

The reaction of o-carboranyllithium with two equiv. of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde affords 1-[(hydroxy)(pyridyl)methyl]-o-carborane (1) and 1,2-bis[(hydroxy)(pyridyl)methyl]-o-carborane (2), which have been characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 2 exhibits interesting polymorphism (monoclinic 2a and triclinic 2b). The solid state structures of the new carboranes feature intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions involving all the N and O atoms, leading to one dimensional (1, 2b) or two-dimensional (2a) supramolecular structures. The photoluminescence of 1 and 2b was investigated in the solid and solution states at room temperature, respectively.Highlights► Two novel carboranylalcohols were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. ► Single-crystal X-ray structures of 1 and two polymorphs of 2 have been determined. ► Supramolecular structures are formed by inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonds. ► Photoluminescence of these species was studied in the solid and solution states.

Reactions of lithio-o-carborane with isocyanates under various conditions were studied, and the structural features of the resulting carboranylamides are described. The reactions of o-carborane (o-C2B10H12), n-BuLi (two equiv.) and two equiv. of (substituted) phenylisocyanate, pentylisocyanate and p-ethylphenylthioisocyanate in diethyl ether, respectively, led, after workup, to the corresponding mono-substituted carboranylamide 2a–g and carboranylthioamide 5 in low to moderate yields, and only with RNCO (R = Ph, m-MeOC6H4, pentyl) could disubstituted products 3a–c be isolated. The reaction with phenylisocyanate afforded the mono-amide and di-amide products in a ratio of approximately 1:2, whereas in the other two reactions the ratios are approximately 4:1 and 3:2, respectively. In tetrahydrofuran all the reactions attempted with RNCO (R = Ph, p-IC6H4, m-NCC6H4 and pentyl) gave more monoamide products than those in diethyl ether. With phenylisocyanate no diamide product was isolated and with pentylisocyanate the ratio between monoamide and diamide is approximately 3.5:1. The new carboranylamides were characterized by means of elemental analyses, IR and NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of 2a–f, 3a and 5.