Organostannoxanes and cyclophosphazenes as scaffolds for multi-ferrocene assemblies

The reactions of n-butylstannonic acid and di n-butyltinoxide with ferrocene monocarboxylic acid have been studied. In the former reaction a hexameric compound, [n-BuSn(O)OC(O)C5H4FeC5H5]6 has been isolated in a quantitative yield. In the latter reaction a tetrameric compound [{n-Bu2SnO2C(C5H4FeC5H5}2O}]2 has been isolated. In contrast to the drum like structure of the former compound, the latter has a ladder like arrangement. Both [n-BuSn(O)OC(O)C5H4FeC5H5]6 and [{n-Bu2SnO2C(C5H4FeC5H5)}2O]2 are electro-chemically robust and show a single oxidation peak in the cyclic voltammetric experiment corresponding to the simultaneous oxidation of six and four ferrocene substituents respectively. The hydrazine substituted cyclophosphazenes, N3P3[N(Me)NH2]6, gem-N3P3Ph2[N(Me)NH2]4, and gem-N3P3(O2C12H8)2[N(Me)NH2]2, are readily condensed with ferrocene carboxaldehyde, C5H5FeC5H4CHO, to afford the corresponding cyclophosphazenes linked to the ferrocenyl moiety through the hydrazone linkage, N3P3[N(Me)N=CHC5H4FeC5H5]6...