4-(4-nitrobenzyl) pyridine in reaction with diferrocenyl(methylthio) cyclopropenylium iodide

Diferrocenyl(methylthio) cyclopropenylium iodide reacts with nitro compounds as CH-acids in the presence of triethylamine to yield both products with retention of the three-carbon ring and ring-opening products. Thus, 4-(4-nitrobenzyl) pyridine affords 1,2-diferrocenyl-3,3-dimethylthio-and 1,2-diferrocenyl-3-[(4-nitrophenyl)(4-pyridyl) methylidene] cyclopropenes and acyclic compounds: 2,3-diferrocenyl-1,3,3-tris(methylthio) propene and 2,3-diferrocenyl-1-methylthio-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-(4-pyridyl) buta-1,3-diene. Their structures were established based on data from H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The mechanistic aspects of these reactions are discussed.