A coordination chemistry dichotomy for icosahedral carborane-based ligands

Rather than tuning metal–ligand interactions using carbon-based substituents, the effect of icosahedral carborane moieties — boron-rich clusters — on the coordination chemistry of phosphine–thioether ligands has been investigated. Depending on the positional attachment of the sulfur atom, the carboranes acted as either strong electron-withdrawing or strong electron-donating substituents.