Synthesis of cobaltaferracarboranes: two methods

The addition of Na+C5H5– and FeCl2 to (C5H5)-CoIII(C2B7H9) previously reduced with sodium naphthalide formed the heterobimetallocarborane, (C5H5)CoIII(C2B7H9)FeIII(C5H5); a larger homologue of this cobaltaferracarborane, (C5H5)CoIII(C2B9H11)FeIII(C5H5, was prepared by the reaction of C5H5)CoIII(C2B10H12) with ethanolic potassium hydroxide in the presence of FeCl2 and C5H6.