Microwave assisted syntheses of CB₁₁⁻ carborane derivatives

Derivatives of the 1-carba-closo-dodecaborane (-1) carborane anion (CB₁₁⁻) have a variety of potential applications which include their use as therapeutic agents, catalysts, medical imaging agents, and as weakly coordinating anions. However, their use has been limited by a lack of synthetic routes to useful derivatives, particularly at the boron vertices. Previous research has developed synthetic methods for the preparation of cyanated and carboxylated boron substituted derivatives. In this work, the novel derivatization of the cluster beginning from these functional groups was explored, particularly focusing on the preparation of mono- and diester derivatives from the carboxylic acid. In addition, this work develops a novel synthetic route to the previously known undecachlorinated product using a microwave irradiation (MWI) reactor, improving on previously reported reaction times.