Bis(dicarbollide) Complexes of Transition Metals as a Platform for Molecular Switches. Study of Complexation of 8,8′-Bis(methylsulfanyl) Derivatives of Cobalt and Iron Bis(dicarbollides)

Complexation of the 8,8′-bis(methylsulfanyl) derivatives of cobalt and iron bis(dicarbollides) [8,8′-(MeS)(2)-3,3′-M(1,2-C(2)B(9)H(10))(2)](−) (M = Co, Fe) with copper, silver, palladium and rhodium leads to the formation of the corresponding chelate complexes, which is accompanied by a transition from the transoid to the cisoid conformation of the bis(dicarbollide) complex. This transition is reversible and can be used in design of coordination-driven molecular switches based on transition metal bis(dicarbollide) complexes. The solid-state structures of {(Ph(3)P)ClPd[8,8′- (MeS)(2)-3,3′-Co(1,2-C(2)B(9)H(10))(2)-κ(2)-S,S′]} and {(COD)Rh[8,8′-(MeS)(2)-3,3′-Co(1,2-C(2)B(9)H(10))(2)-κ(2)-S,S′]} were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.