Synthesis and molecular structure of hetero-metallic cluster CpCoW(CO)2(S2C2B10H10)2 and binuclear half-sandwich Co complex [Cp∗Co(S2C2B10H10)]2(bpo) with dichalcogenolate o-carboranyl ligands

The mononuclear 16-electron “pseudo-aromatic” dithio-o-carboranylcobalt complex CpCo(S2C2B10H10) (1a) and Cp∗Co(S2C2B10H10) (1b) have been prepared by treatments of CpCo(CO)I2 and Cp∗Co(CO)I2 with the dilithium dithiolato carborane (Li2S2C2B10H10). Both of 1a and 1b react with 2,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-oxadiazole (bpo) to give 2a and 2b. Complex 1a reacts with low valent transition metal complex W(CO)3(py)3 to produce a hetero binuclear Co–W complex 3a. The molecular structures of 1b, 2b and 3a have been determined by X-ray crystallography.