Thermal expansion of α-rhombohedral boron (α-B12) and two isostructural boron-rich pnictides (B12P2 and B12As2) has been studied between 298 and 1280 K by high-temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction. For all studied phases no temperature-induced phase transitions have been observed. The observed temperature dependencies of the lattice parameters and unit cell volumes were found to be quasi-linear. Variation of the thermal expansion coefficients in the group of boron-rich pnictides (B13N2 – B12P2 – B12As2) was analyzed.