sodium in ammonia 2 equivalents Na;; 1:1-mixture with educt;;

With  iodine; sodium thiosulfate; aluminium trichloride in  diethyl ether; dichloromethane; water  mixt. of 9-iodo-o-carborane and I2 in CH2Cl2 stirred with a catalytic amt. of AlCl3 at 35°C for 3.5 d; mixt. poured into distd. water, water layer extd. with ether; org. layer washed with aq. Na2S2O3 to remove the remaining I2, dried; the filtered solvent removed at the water pump, the resulting solid showed two components: starting material and 9,12-diiodo-o-carborane in the ratio 1:4.5; crude product purified by recrystn. from hexane;