THE REDOX BEHAVIOR OF FERROCENE DERIVATIVES .3. FERROCENYLACYL COMPLEXES (ETA(5)-C5H5) FE(ETA(5)-C5H4-COER3), E = C, SI OR GE, R = ME OR PH

The electrochemical behaviour of the ferrocenylacyl derivatives [FcCOER3] (E = C, Si or Ge; R = Me or Ph) is examined. One-electron oxidations to the substantially stable monocations [FcCOER3]+ occur at potentials significantly higher than that observed with ferrocene, but only minor differences hold within the series, independent of the nature of both E and R. In contrast the EPR spectra of the monocations for E = C show that the unpaired electron resides mainly on the iron, whereas for E = Si or Ge the electron density is essentially localized on the C5H4COER3 fragment.