SYNTHESIS, ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY OF OLIGO-(1,1'-DIHEXYLFERROCENYLENES) AND POLY-(1,1'-DIHEXYLFERROCENYLENES)

Oligo- and poly-(1,1'-dihexylferrocenylenes), more soluble than unsubs tituted oligo- and poly-(1,1'-ferrocenylenes), were synthesized by rea ction of dihexylfulvalene dianion with [FeCl2(thf)(2)] (thf = tetrahyd rofuran). Electrochemical properties of pentamers and a hexamer were r evealed and compared with theory for a system with a linear combinatio n of redox centres. Charge-transfer complexes of poly(dihexylferroceny lene) (M = 5000, M/M(n) = 1.2) with tetracyanoethylene and 7,7,8,8-tet racyanoquinodimethane exhibit photoconductivity.