Synthesis and serendipity in boron chemistry: A 50 year perspective

Chance discovery is ubiquitous in the history of science, especially in areas where theory has tended to lag behind experimental findings. In fields such as organometallic and boron cluster chemistry, serendipity has been particularly important in opening new directions and shaping the evolution of these fields. In this article selected examples from the author's half century of research in borane, carborane, and metallaborane chemistry are used to illustrate the often intricate interplay between unexpected findings and targeted synthesis. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.