closo-carborane

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The term "closo-carborane" refers to a specific structural type of carborane, which are organometallic compounds containing carbon, boron, and hydrogen. The general formula for carboranes is C₂B_nH_{n + 2}.1

The "closo-" prefix, derived from the Latin word for "cage," indicates a closed, polyhedral structure. In closo-carboranes, the boron and carbon atoms form a complete cage, similar to the structure of boranes. The best-studied example is ortho-carborane (C₂B₁₀H₁₂), which has an icosahedral structure where two adjacent carbon atoms and ten boron atoms form the vertices of the polyhedron. These compounds are known for their stability and have been extensively studied since their discovery in the 1960s.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

carborane
Reactions and synthesis of carboranes
The three isomeric icosahedral closo-carboranes of formula C₂B₁₀H₁₂ are unusual both in their ease of preparation and their stability in air. Not only has their chemistry been the most extensively studied of all carboranes, but their discovery ushered in the rapid development of the field. Although their systematic International…
Read More
The three isomeric icosahedral closo-carboranes of formula C₂B₁₀H₁₂ are unusual both in their ease of preparation and their stability in air. Not only has their chemistry been the most extensively studied of all carboranes, but their discovery ushered in the rapid development of the field. Although their systematic International…
Read More