Synthesis and electrochemical behavior of the ferrocenyl units assembled on imidoalane and carbaalane clusters

Hydroalumination reaction was effectively carried out on ferrocenylnitrile in the synthesis of imidoalane cluster [HAlNCH2C5H4FeCp]6 (3). Compound 3 exhibits a reversible electrochemical behavior. In the presence of ferrocenylmethanol, meta thesis reactions were carried out on [HAlNCH2(C4H3S)]6 (4) and [HAlNCH2Ph]6 (5) in the synthesis of [CpFeC5H4CH2OAlNCH2(C4H3S)]6 (6) and [CpFeC5H4CH2OAlNCH2Ph]6 (7). The ferrocenylmethoxide groups present in these two compounds show a single reversible oxidation wave, which suggests their electrochemical equivalence. Electrochemical studies were also carried out on the carbaalane [(AlH)2(FcCCAl)4(AlNMe3)2(CCH2Ph)6] (9), which exhibited a considerably broadened wave with shoulders preceding the main anodic and cathodic peak, and it can be assigned to weak electronic interactions between the individual ferrocenyl sites.

Graphical abstractSynthesis and the electrochemical studies of ferrocenylmethylene derivatized imidoalane 3, ferrocenylmethoxide substituted imidoalanes 6 and 7, and ferrocenylacetylide containing carbaalane 9 were reported. The electrochemical behavior of these compounds suggests the electrochemical equivalence of the ferrocenyl units.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide