Electrochemistry of Late Transition Metal Complexes Containing the Ligand 1,1‘-Bis(diisopropylphosphino)ferrocene (dippf)

The chemically reversible oxidation of 1,1‘-bis(diisopropylphosphino)ferrocene (dippf) was investigated using cyclic voltammetry. In addition, seven new compounds with general formulas of [(MCl n ) m (dippf)] (M = Co, Ni, Pt, Zn, Cd or Hg, n = 2, m = 1; M = Au, n = 1, m = 2) have been prepared. The Ni and Co compounds were found to be paramagnetic, and the Evans method was used to determine the magnetic moment for these compounds. The remaining compounds were characterized by 1 H, 13 C, and 31 P NMR. As an additional means of characterization, the molecular structures of [PtCl 2 (dippf)] and [ZnCl 2 (dippf)] were determined. The electrochemistry of the new compounds and the previously synthesized [PdCl 2 (dippf)] was investigated using cyclic voltammetry. The results of this investigation show that coordination of the dippf ligands leads to more positive oxidation potentials for the ferrocene backbone.