A series of cage penta-arylated carboranes have been synthesized by palladium-catalyzed intermolecular coupling of the C-carboxylic acid of the monocarba- closo-dodecaborate anion [CBH] with iodoarenes by direct cage B-H bond functionalization. These transformations set a record in terms of one-pot directing group-mediated activation of inert bonds in a single molecule. The methodology is characterized by high yields, good functional group tolerance, and complete cage regioselectivity. The directing group COOH can be easily removed during or after the intermolecular coupling reaction. The mechanistic pathways were probed using density functional theory calculations. A Pd(II)-Pd(IV)-Pd(II) catalytic cycle is proposed, in which initial coupling is followed by preferred B-H activation of the adjacent boron vertex, and continuation of this selectivity results in a continuous walking process of the palladium center. The methodology opens a new avenue toward building blocks with 5-fold symmetry.

The regioselective derivatization of the monocarba-closo-dodecaborate anion via catalytic B-H bond activation is reported. Amide directing groups in combination with rhodium and iridium catalysts allowed for the direct functionalization of cage boron vertices. Products comprising B-C, B-N and B-Cl bonds were synthesized. As a key intermediate of the B-H activation step, an iridium complex with a direct B-Ir interaction was isolated and fully characterized by spectroscopic methods as well as X-ray crystallography.

We describe the syntheses of half-sandwich complexes of the type [(η(5)-Cp(CONH-R))M(CO)3] with M = Re or (99m)Tc. The R group represents different tri-peptides (tpe) which display high binding affinities for oligopeptide transporters PEPT2. The (99m)Tc complexes were prepared directly from [(99m)Tc(OH2)3(CO)3](+) and Diels-Alder dimerized, cyclopentadienyl derivatized peptides in water. This approach corroborates the feasibility of metal-mediated retro Diels-Alder reactions for the preparation of not only small molecules but also peptides carrying a [(η(5)-Cp)(99m)Tc(CO)3] tag. We synthesized the Diels-Alder product [(HCpCONH-tpe)2] from Thiele's acid [(η(5)-HCpCOOH)2] via double peptide coupling. The Re-complexes [(η(5)-CpCONH-tpe)Re(CO)3] were obtained by attaching [(Cp-COOH)Re(CO)3] directly to the N-terminus of peptides as received from SPPS. The authenticity of the (99m)Tc-complexes is confirmed by chromatographic comparison with the corresponding rhenium complexes, fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques.

The monocarborane cluster is used as a building block for the preparation of luminescent copper(I) complexes. Treatment of the 12‐alkynyl‐substituted cage with CuI and ammonia affords an isolable polymeric intermediate. Addition of phosphine and pyridine ligands transforms this intermediate to products featuring two to ten Cu centers. In the solid state, the products exhibit phosphorescence across the visible spectrum in colors from blue to deep red. The picture shows how the starting materials are transformed into copper complexes stabilized by N and P ligands. More information can be found in the Full Paper by N. Finney, B. Spingler, S. Duttwyler et al. on page 8754.

Palladium-catalyzed five-fold B–H/C–H cross coupling of monocarboranes with alkenes enables the synthesis of selectively penta-functionalized boron clusters.