Mono- and di-borylated [3]ferrocenophanes

Ferrocenophanium Stability and Catalysis

Ferrocenium catalysis is a vibrant research area, and an increasing number of ferrocenium-catalyzed processes have been reported in the recent years. However, the ferrocenium cation is not very stable in solution, which may potentially hamper catalytic applications. In an effort to stabilize ferrocenium-type architectures by inserting a bridge between the cyclopentadienyl rings, we investigated two ferrocenophanium (or ansa-ferrocenium) cations with respect to their stability and catalytic activity in propargylic substitution reactions. One of the ferrocenophanium complexes was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Cyclic voltammetry experiments of the ferrocenophane parent compounds were performed in the absence and presence of alcohol nucleophiles, and the stability of the cations in solution was judged based on the reversibility of the electron transfer. The experiments revealed a moderate stabilizing effect of the bridge, albeit the effect is not very pronounced or straightforward. Catalytic propargylic substitution test reactions revealed decreased activity of the ferrocenophanium cations compared to the ferrocenium cation. It appears that the somewhat stabilized ferrocenophanium cations show decreased catalytic activity.

Formylation of a metathesis-derived ansa[4]-ferrocene: a simple route to anticancer organometallics

Ansa-Ferrocenealdehyde, obtained by formylation of a metathesis-derived ansa-ferrocene, was transformed into a conjugate with triazole and uracil with anticancer activity.

Synthesis, Electrochemical, and Thermal Properties of [3]Ferrocenophane-Containing Chalcone Derivatives

[3]Ferrocenophane-containing chalcone derivatives with benzene ring (3a–3d) or naphthalene ring (3e–3f) were synthesized and characterized. The potentials for [3]ferrocenophane-containing chalcones cathodically shifted ~70–80 mV compared with those of ferrocene-containing chalcones, indicating easier oxidation by loss of an electron for the former. The thermal behaviours of the prepared compounds were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. Compound 3f with terminal alkyl chain of 14 carbon atoms displayed mesophases, whereas other compounds were non-mesomorphic and showed either crystal polymorphic phase transitions or simple melting and freezing process in the heating and cooling cycles.

[μ-3,3'-Bis(tri-hydro-bor-yl)[3]ferroceno-phane]bis-(chlorido-zirconocene)

The title compound, [FeZr₂(C₅H₅)₄Cl₂(C₁₃H₁₈B₂)], is a heteronuclear complex that consists of a [3]ferrocenophane moiety substituted at each cyclo­penta­dienyl (Cp) ring by a BH₃ group; the BH₃ group is bonded via two H atoms to the Zr atom of the zirconocene chloride moiety in a bidentate fashion. The two Cp rings of the [3]ferrocenophane moiety are aligned at a dihedral angle of 8.9 (4)° arising from the strain of the propane-1,3-diyl bridge linking the two Cp rings. [One methyl­ene group is disordered over two positions with a site-occupation factor of 0.552 (18) for the major occupied site.] The dihedral angles between the Cp rings at the two Zr atoms are 50.0 (3) and 51.7 (3)°. The bonding Zr⋯H distances are in the range 1.89 (7)–2.14 (7) Å. As the two Cp rings of the ferrocene unit are connected by an ansa bridge, the two Zr atoms approach each other at 6.485 (1) Å. The crystal packing features C—H⋯Cl inter­actions.