A heterotrinuclear and a polynuclear complex constructed from a ferrocenyl carboxylate and an N-containing ligand: Synthesis, crystal structures and electrochemical properties

Treatment of NaO₂CCHC(Me)Fc with cadmium acetate and iron(II) sulfate in the presence of 2,2′-bipy yielded Cd₂Fe(μ-O₂CCHC(Me)Fc)₂(μ₂-O₂CCHC(Me)Fc)₂(μ₂-η²-O₂CCHC(Me)Fc)₂(2,2′-bipy)₂] · 2H₂O (1); while from NaO₂CC₆H₄{C(O)Fc-o}, cadmium acetate, and pbbm the product was {Cd(η²-O₂CC₆H₄{C(O)Fc-o})₂(pbbm)] · 0.5H₂O}_n (2) Fc = (η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(C₅H₄-η⁵); 2,2′-bipy = 2,2′-bipyridyl; pbbm = 1,1′-(1,5-pentamethylene)bis-1H-benzimidazole]. Compounds 1 and 2 have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In centro-symmetric crystalline 1, the Fe and the two flanking atoms are six-coordinate; the three carboxylato ligands between the Fe and a Cd atom have different coordination modes. Crystalline 2 consists of an infinite polymeric chain, in which adjacent Cd(η²-O₂CC₆H₄{C(O)Fc-o})₂] units are linked by pbbm ligands; thus each Cd atom is six-coordinate. Some electrochemical properties of the two complexes are reported.