Electron transfer ferrocenes

Guldi D M, Maggini M, Scorrano G and Prato M 1997 Intramolecular electron transfer in fullerene/ferrocene based donor-bridge-acceptor dyads J. Am. Chem. See. 119 974-80... 

Fig. 8-7. Dependence of the yield in chloro-de-diazoniations on the redox potential of electron transfer reagents (from Galli, 1988 Fc = ferrocene).

On the basis of these results it seems to the present author that inner and outer complexes can reasonably be assumed for the electron transfer to the diazonium ion, but that an outer-sphere mechanism is more likely for metal complexes with a completely saturated coordination sphere of relatively high stability, such as Fe(CN) (Bagal et al., 1974) or ferrocene (Doyle et al., 1987 a). Romming and Waerstad (1965) isolated the complex obtained from a Sandmeyer reaction of benzenediazonium ions and [Cu B ]- ions. The X-ray structural data for this complex also indicate an outer-sphere complex. 

In a recent continuation of the work on dediazoniation of 2-(2 -propenyloxy)ben-zenediazonium salts (10.55, Z = 0, n= 1, R=H) in the presence of ferrocene, Beckwith et al. (1992) found that 3-ferrocenylmethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran (10.65) is formed. The results are consistent with a mechanism involving electron transfer and dediazoniation followed by homolytic attack on the ferrocenium ion. This investigation resolved a long-lasting dispute regarding the heterolytic or homolytic character of the formation of arylferrocenes from arenediazonium ions (for literature since 1955 see Beckwith et al., 1992, references 1-7). 

F. la-c. Cyclic voltammograms of dissolved and stance confined ferrcx ne in a< tonitrile/0.1 M TBAP. a. 4 X 10 M dissolved ferrocene at Pt. b. 4-ferrocenyl-phenylacetamid monolayer bound to Pt (ref. ). c. Poly-vinylferrocene dip coated on Pt,r = 1 x lO raolcm. Straight arrows indicate diffusional events. Curved arrows electron transfer events (from ref. ). 

Recently, this concept could be transferred to the homologous silylium ions 3-Si (Si in cx-position to the ferrocene core) [18, 19], which were found to be potent catalysts for Diels-Alder reactions at low temperature [19]. The electron-rich ferrocene core buffers the Lewis acidity, thus avoiding the irreversible formation of Lewis pairs. 

Noviandri I, Brown KN, Fleming DS, Gulyas PT, Lay PA, Masters AF, Phillips L (1999) The decamethylferrocenium/decamethylferrocene redox couple a superior redox standard to the ferrocenium/ferrocene redox couple for studying solvent effects on the thermodynamics of electron transfer. J Phys Chem B 103 6713-6722... 

MEMED has also been used to investigate the nature of coupled ion-transfer processes involved in spontaneous electron transfer at ITIES [80]. In this application, a key strength of MEMED is that all of the reactants and products involved in the reaction can be measured, as shown in Figs. 19 and 20. The redox reaction studied involved the oxidation of either ferrocene (Fc) or decamethylferrocene (DMFc) in a DCE phase (denoted by Fcdce) by either IrCle or Fe(CN)g in the aqueous phase (denoted by Ox ) ... 

Proton-coupled intramolecular electron transfer has been investigated for the quinonoid compounds linked to the ferrocene moiety by a 7r-conjugated spacer, 72 (171) and 75 (172). The complex 72 undergoes 2e oxidation in methanol to afford 74, which consists of an unusual allene and a quinonoid structure, with the loss of two hydrogen atoms from 72 (Scheme 2). The addition of CF3SO3H to an acetonitrile solution of 74 results in two intense bands around 450 nm, characteristic of a semi-quinone radical, and a weak broad band at lOOOnm in the electronic... 

With regard to biosensor applications, a wide variety of electrochemically active species (ferrocene, ruthenium complexes, or carbon and metal (Pt, Pd, Au...) [185,186] were also introduced into the sol-gel matrices or adsorbed to improve the electron transfer from the biomolecules to the conductive support [187,188]. For instance, glucose oxidase has been trapped in organically modified sol-gel chitosan composite with adsorbed ferrocene to construct a low-cost biosensor exhibiting high sensitivity and good stability [189]. 

The second-generation 02" biosensors are mainly based on the electron transfer of SOD shuttled by surface-confined or solution-phase mediators, as shown in Scheme 2(b). In 1995, Ohsaka et al. found that methyl viologen could efficiently shuttle the electron transfer between SOD and the glassy carbon electrode and proposed that such a protocol could be useful for developing 02 biosensors [125], Recently, Endo et al. reported an 02, biosensor based on mediated electrochemistry of SOD [148], In that case, ferrocene-carboxaldehyde was used as the mediator for the redox process of SOD. The as-developed 02 biosensor showed a high sensitivity, reproducibility, and durability. A good linearity was obtained in the range of 0 100 pM. In the flow cell system, tissue-derived 02 was measured. 

At first sight, these strong effects might not seem to be predictable, given that the ferrocene reactant is uncharged and thus the formation of the precursor complex should be unaffected by the charge of the other reactant. The reaction of the ion-paired species, however, is not a simple electron-transfer reaction, because transfer of the anion must also occur. A detailed understanding of the dynamics of the process remains to be developed. 

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