Crystal structure of 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium dicarba-7,8-nido-undecaborate

Abstract

In the title molecular salt, C9H17N2+·C2H12B9−, the carborane cage has a bridging B—H—B bond on the open B3C2 face. The butyl side chain of the cation adopts an extended conformation [C—C—C—C = 179.6 (1)°]. In the crystal, the imidazolium ring is almost coplanar with the open face of the carborane anion. The cations stack in the [010] direction and the dihedral angle between the imidazolium rings of adjacent cations is 68.45 (6)°. The butyl chains extend into the space between carborane anions.

Keywords

• crystal structure
• carborane cage anion
• imidazolium cation
• bridging B—H—B bond