A carboranylpentaphenylbenzene

1-(o-Carboran-9-yl)-2,3,4,5,6-pentaphenylbenzene (1) was prepared by the Diels–Alder reaction of 9-phenylethynyl-o-carborane and tetraphenylcyclopentadienone at 300 °C. An X-ray crystal structure of 1 shows that the steric demands of the carborane induce a significant stretching of the aryl carbon–boron bond as well as a variety of distortions of the central benzene ring, the ortho phenyl groups, and the carborane cage.