Unexpected photochemistry and charge-transfer complexes of [CB₁₁H₁₂]⁻carborane

Although the [CB(11)H(12)](-) carborane does not exhibit an absorption band in UV, its triplet excited state can be generated upon 308 nm laser excitation; also unexpectedly carborane acts as electron donor forming a charge transfer complex with methylviologen that upon illumination gives rise to viologen radical cation.