Bis(fulvalene)diiron is the organoiron complex with the formula (C₅H₄-C₅H₄)₂Fe₂. Structurally, the molecule consists of two ferrous centers sandwiched between fulvalene dianions. The compound is an orange solid with lower solubility in benzene than

ferrocene Ferrocene is an organometallic compound with the formula . The molecule is a complex consisting of two cyclopentadienyl rings bound to a central iron atom. It is an orange solid with a camphor-like odor, that sublimes above room temperature, a ...

. Its structure has been verified by

X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles ...

. The compound has attracted some interest for its redox properties.

Preparation

It was first prepared by

Ullmann coupling The Ullmann reaction or Ullmann coupling is a coupling reaction between aryl halides. Traditionally this reaction is effected by copper, but palladium and nickel are also effective catalysts. The reaction is named after Fritz Ullmann. Mechanism ...

of 1,1'-diiodoferrocene using

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

but subsequent work produces the complex is 20-40% yield from dilithiofulvalene and ferrous chloride: :2(C₅H₄Li)₂ + 2FeCl2 → (C₅H₄-C₅H₄)₂Fe₂ + 4{{nbspLiCl

Related compounds

Biferrocene Biferrocene is the organometallic compound with the formula C5H5)Fe(C5H4)sub>2. It is the product of the formal dehydrocoupling of ferrocene, analogous the relationship between biphenyl and benzene. It is an orange, air-stable solid that is solu ...

References

Ferrocenes Sandwich compounds Cyclopentadienyl complexes