B 9 H 10 (X = Cl, I), are formed from reactions of salts containing 1(6)-X-7,9-C 2 B 9 H 11 Ϫ anions with H 2 SO 4 , and 4-F-2,3-( p-FC 6 H 4 ) 2 -2,3-C 2 B 9 H 8 is formed from (Bu 4 N)(3-F-7,9-( p-FC 6 H 4 ) 2 -7,9-C 2 B 9 H 9 ) and F 3 CSO 3 H. Elimination of the ethoxide and fluoride substituents from the cage occurs during acidification of salts containing 10-OEt-7,9-C 2 B 9 H 11 Ϫ and 10-F-7,9-( p-FC 6 H 4 ) 2 -7,9-C 2 B 9 H 9 Ϫ by F 3 CSO 3 H, resulting in the closo-carboranes 2,3-C 2 B 9 H 11 and 2,3-( p-FC 6 H 4 ) 2 -2,3-C 2 B 9 H 9 as major products respectively. A mixture of B-Me-2,3-C 2 B 9 H 10 isomers is obtained from salts containing the 8-Me-7,9-C 2 B 9 H 11 Ϫ and 10-Me-7,9-C 2 B 9 H 11 Ϫ anions with H 2 SO 4 . B-Me-2,3-C 2 B 9 H 10 is suggested to be fluxional in solution with 4-Me-2,3-C 2 B 9 H 10 as the major component. Protonation of the fluxional anion 10(11)-endo-Me-7,9-C 2 B 9 H 11 Ϫ with acetic acid gives a neutral nido-carborane 11-Me-2,8-C 2 B 9 H 12 rather than closo-B-Me-2,3-C 2 B 9 H 10 . Molecular geometries of 11-vertex closo-carboranes and B-methyl-nido-carboranes are determined by the combined ab initio/GIAO/NMR method at the GIAO-B3LYP/6-311G*//MP2/6-31G* level of theory. Scheme 1 The reactions of nido-7,9-C 2 B 9 H 12 Ϫ 1a and nido-7,8-C 2 B 9 H 12 Ϫ with acid and the synthesis of closo-2,3-C 2 B 9 H 11 2a showing the cage numbering. Exo-hydrogens are omitted for clarity.
DALTON