A triphenylsilyl group is used as an auxiliary in the synthesis of heterodisubstituted p- carboranes via triphenylsilyl-p-carborane (1). The preparation of 1 is statistical, but with recovery of the starting p-carborane, the effective conversion to 1 is about 90%. Carborane 1 has been easily converted to its lithium and copper derivatives, which were reacted with a range of electrophiles including alkyl halides: an aryl iodide, an acetylene bromide, and a ...
