World of boron clusters

This team has been established since the late 1950s thanks to lifelong work by J. Plesek, S. Hermanek and later B. Stibr. Novel topics have been introduced in the 2000s by B. Grüner (a current head of the team) and some of his younger colleagues. The team at IIC adheres to the World Boron Community and its position here has been firmly established over many years. Borane clusters are entirely artificial molecules of surprisingly reach chemistry and remarkable 3D structures. Currently the most promising research focus is on their application in materials chemistry and pharmacology. The team members and projects are listed in Department of Syntheses.

• Bakardjiev, M., Holub, J., Hnyk, D., Stibr, B.: Reductive degradation of nido-1-CB₈H₁₂ into smaller-cage carborane systems via new monocarborane [arachno-CB₈H₁₃]^- and closo-2-CB₆H₈, Chemistry Eur. J., 2008, 6529-6533.
• Rezacova P.,  Pokorna J., Brynda J., Kozisek ., Cigler P.,  Lepsik M., Fanfrlik J. , Rezax J., Grantz-Saskova K.,  Sieglova I.,  Plesek J.,  Sicha V.,  Gruner B., Oberwinkler H.,  Sedlacek J., Krausslich H-G,  Hobza P.,  Kral V.,  Konvalinka J., Design of Potent HIV Protease Inhibitors Based on Inorganic Polyhedral Metalla-Carboranes. J. Med. Chem. 52, 7132-7141, 2009.
• Pennanen, T.O., Machacek, J., Taubert , S., Vaara, Hnyk, D.: Ferrocene-like iron bis(dicarbollide), [3-Fe^III-(1,2-C₂B₉H₁₁)₂]^-. The first experimental and theoretical refinement of paramagnetic ¹¹B NMR spectrum, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 12, 7018-7025, 2010.
• Stibr B., Bakardjiev M., Holub J., Ruzicka A., Padelkova Z., Olejnik R., Svec, P. Skeletal alkylcarbonation (SAC) reactions as a simple design for cluster–carbon insertion and cross-coupling: high-yield access to substituted tricarbollides from 6,9-dicarba-arachno- decaborane(14). Chemistry – Eur. J. 2011, 17 13156–13159.
• Plesek J., Gruner B., Sicha V.,  Bohmer V., Cisarova I. [(8,8'-μ-CH₂O(CH₃)-(1,2-C₂B₉H₁₀)₂-3,3'-Co]⁰ zwitterion  as a versatile building block for introduction of the cobalt bis(dicarbollide) ion into organic molecules, Organometallics, 31, 1703-1715, 2012.
• Base T., Bastl Z., Havranek V., Machacek J., Langecker J., Malina V., Carboranedithiols: Building Blocks for Self-Assembled Monolayers on Copper Surfaces, Langmuir 28, 12518-12526, 2012

Main partners in Czech Republic

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i.; Institute of Molecular Genetics AS CR, v.v.i., Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague; University of Pardubice, Institute of Molecular and Translation Medicine, Palacky Univ., Olomouc.

Main partners abroad

EMPA, Switzerland; California NanoSystems Institute - UCLA, USA; University of Leeds, UK; Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Medicinal Biology, Lodz, Poland; University of Turku, Finland; University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, Germany; University of Edinburgh, UK; University of Oslo, Norway; CEA Saclay, France; CEA Marcoule, France; Chalmers University, Göteborg, Sweden; Instituto Universitario de Catálisis Homégen, Zaragoza, Spain