Study of Crystal Structures of the [B10Cl10]2– Anion with Imidazolium Cations

Abstract

A new method for the synthesis of imidazolium salts of the perchlorinated closo-decaborate anion (RMIM)2[B10Cl10] (R = H, n-Et, n-Bu, n-C8H17) has been proposed. The synthesis of these compounds can be carried out by simple metathesis reactions between the potassium salt of the decachloro-closo-decaborate anion K2[B10Cl10] and chlorides of imidazolium derivatives. The crystal packings and intermolecular interactions in compounds (EMIM)2[B10Cl10] and (BMIM)2[B10Cl10] have been studied using X-ray diffraction and Hirshfeld surface analysis. The [B10Cl10]2– anions in the crystal lattice of these compounds are linked by a network of weak Cl···Cl interactions with a distance between chlorine atoms of 2.246–3.623 Å.