Preparation and Characterisation of Ferrocene

The common laboratory method is to react freshly prepared anhydrous iron(Il) chloride with cyclopentadiene (obtained from the dimer) dissolved in diethylamine. The reaction is represented by  

The product of the reaction is characterised by its melting point, and its infiared and electronic spectra. 

Use a 250 cm 3 necked flask provided with a mechanical stirrer and a reflux condenser at the top of which fit a trap containing 200 cm concentrated sodium hydroxide. Weigh into the flask 20.0 g anhydrous iron(lll) chloride. Pipette 30 cm of chlorobenzene into the flask. Heat the mixture and reflux with stirring for 2 hours. Allow to cool and filter the iron(II) chloride produced at the pump and wash with portions of CH2CI2 (CARE ) 

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