This project in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program is concerned with the synthesis and chemical properties of new main group element carborane derivatives and metallacarboranes. Studies in four areas are being pursued. In the first of these, studies of main group carborane derivatives are continuing, with an increased emphasis on reactivity relationships aimed at a greater understanding of the chemistry of these unusual compounds. Of particular interest is the chemistry of novel ?Ne!-core main group element sandwich complexes, as well as exploration of potential applications of these and related carborane derivatives. The second area is the synthesis of novel carborane-based cyclic and polymeric materials derived from the dicarbanastide cage. In the third area novel insertion of metal cluster fragments into polyhedral boron hydride cages is being used for the synthesis of dinuclear metallaborane complexes. These complexes are of fundamental interest because they meld the chemistries of polyhedral boron hydrides and metal carbonyl clusters. The final category of studies is an effort to synthesize new lanthanide element derivatives of the metallacarborane type. Some of the new materials which will be synthesized are expected to have interesting physical properties possibly including desirable electronic and/or spectral properties, and some will be useful precursors for the synthesis of interesting materials.
