Small cage d10 metallacarboranes: crystal structure of the mercury bridged carborane, μ,μ′-[2-(Si(CH3)3)-3-(CH3)-2,3-C2B4H5]2Hg

The reaction of nido-1-Na(TMEDA)-2-(Si(CH3)3-3-(CH3)-2,3-C2B4H5, with anhydrous HgCl2 in a 2:1 carborane to metal molar ratio produced the bridged compound μ,μ′-[2-(Si(CH3)3)-3-(CH3)-2,3-C2B4H5]2 Hg (1). The structure of 1 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction that showed the compound to have C2 symmetry, with each carborane being η2-bonded to the mercury center.