Towards rod-shaped molecules based on the twelve-vertex ferratricarbollides

The compounds with a single and double –CH2C6H4CH2– spacer, [CpFeC3B8H10-NH-CH2C6H4CH2-NH-C3B8H10FeCp] and [CpFeC3B8H10-N-(CH2C6H4CH2)2-N-C3B8H10FeCp], represent the first example of designed shaping by extremely stable cyclopentadienyl-ferratricarbollide (CpFeTCB) cages into rigid molecular constructions approaching linear arrangement.