The metalation of carboranes is illustrated by the reactions of closo- with iron carbonyl sources. Two closo Fe- and -containing products are obtained, according to these idealized equations:
Base-induced degradation of carboranes give anionic nido derivatives, which can also be employed as ligands for transition metals, generating metallacarboranes, which are carboranes containing one or more transition metal or main group metal atoms in the cage framework. Most famous are the dicarbollide, complexes with the formula , where M stands for metal.