Thermal versus photochemical pathways of a manganese 10-vertex metalladecaborane: [Nido-6-Mn(CO)3B9H13][NMe4]

The relationship between thermal and photochemical pathways for a 10-vertex metalladecaborane complex has been investigated. The reaction types observed included cage isomerization and nido-6 to hypercloso-metallaborane conversion. UV photochemical irradiation resulted in the formation of the hypercloso-[Mn(CO3)B9H9][NMe4] structure while the thermal reaction produced an isomerization to form the nido-5-[Mn(CO)3B9H13][NMe4] complex.