The synthesis and reactions of an anionic tungsten–carbyne complex stabilised by the carbaborane ligand 1,2-C2B9H9Me2; evidence for a novel cage hydroboration reaction

The salt [N(Ph3)2][W(CR)(CO)2(η5-1,2-C2B9H9Me2)](R = C6H4Me-4) reacts with the compounds [RhCl(PPh3)3], [Rh(PPh3)2(diene)][BF4](diene = cyclo-octa-1,5-diene or norbornadiene), and [AuCl(PPh3)] to give products with tungsten–rhodium or tungsten–gold bonds, the structures of which were determined by X-ray diffraction; that from the norbornadiene complex contains a nortricyclane moiety bonded to a boron atom of the C2B9 cage.