Dicarbaboranes can be prepared from boron hydrides using alkynes as the source of the two carbon centers. In addition to the closo- series mentioned above, several open-cage dicarbon species are known including nido- (isostructural and isoelectronic with ) and arachno-.
Syntheses of icosahedral closo-dicarbadodecaborane derivatives () employ alkynes as the  source and decaborane () to supply the  unit.