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 [HAl NCH2C5H4FeCp]6 (3). Compound 3 exhibits a reversible electrochemical behavior. In the presence of ferrocenylmethanol, meta thesis reactions were carried out on [HAlNCH2(C4H)S)]6 (4) and [HAlNCH2Ph]6 (5) in the synthesis of [CpFeCsH4 CH20AlNCH2CC4H)S)]6 (6) and [CpFeCsH4CH20AlNCH2Ph]6 (7). The ferrocenylmethoxide groups present in these two com pounds show a single reversible oxidation wave, which suggests their electrochemical equivalence. Electrochemical studies were also carried out on the carbaalane [(AIHhCFcC CAlMAlNMe3hCCCH2Ph)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 individ ual ferrocenyl sites.