Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry of a Chelating P–Sn Ligand Based on Stanna‐closo‐dodecaborate

Abstract

Substitution at a B–H unit of the heteroborate cluster stanna‐closo‐dodecaborate [SnB11H11]2– at the upper belt of the icosahedron by one of the triarylphosphine moieties of xantphos was carried out under the catalysis of palladium acetate. The resulting coupling product is a monoanion offering two coordination sites: a low‐valent tin‐cluster vertex and a triaryl phosphine moiety. The basicity and nucleophilicity of the anion were investigated in reactions with a strong acid or an alkylating agent. Transition‐metal electrophiles like platinum halide PtCl2 or rhodium carbonyl [Rh(CO)2Cl]2 react with the bidentate ligand, with the formation of cis‐coordination products.