Charge Transfer Properties of Multi(ferrocenyl)trindenes

Ferrocenyl, diferrocenyl, and triferrocenyl complexes of dihydro-1H-trindene have been prepared by up to 3-fold bromide substitution of the dihydro-2,5,8-tribromo-1H-trindene halocarbon. The charge transfer properties of their mono-, di-, and tricationic derivatives were investigated. The cations of this new family of multi(ferrocenyl)trindene complexes were generated by chemical oxidation using (acetylferrocenium)(BF4) as the oxidative agent and monitored in the visible, IR and near-IR regions. The charge transfer bands in the near-IR spectra are rationalized in the framework of the Marcus–Hush theory. In particular, the triferrocenyl complexes display a redox chemistry that can be switched from a unresolved three-electron oxidation to two consecutive one-electron and two near simultaneously occurring one-electron oxidations by changing the supporting electrolyte from [nBu4N][PF6] to [nBu4][B(C6F5)4]. In addition, the introduction of the third ferrocenyl group increases the strength of the metal–metal interaction with respect to that of the structurally related diferrocenyl system.