MULTICOMPONENT REDOX SYSTEMS CONSISTING O F N-FERROCENOYL-N'-FERROCENYL(ETHYLFERROCENE) THIOUREA AND ITS COPPER(II) COMPLEXES

The two non-equivalent ferrocene fragments N-ferrocenoyl-N'-ferrocenyl thiourea (HL(1)) and N-ferrocenoyl-N'-ethylferrocene thiourea (HL(2)) are prepared by the addition of ferrocenoyl isothiocyanate with amino ferrocene and aminoethylferrocene respectively. The copper(Il) complex es of these ligands are isolated and have been characterized by elemen tary analyses and spectral (IR, H-1 NMR) measurements. The redox behav ior of the two ligands and their complexes is investigated by cyclic v oltammetry, The ligands (HL(1), HL(2)) undergo two distinct and consec utive reversible one-electron oxidation processes centred on the two n on-equivalent ferrocene fragments, but in complex Cu(HL(1))(2)Cl-2, it is able to release two electrons at the same potentials, The two ferr ocenyl groups change to equivalent ferrocene fragments, In the complex Cu(L(2))Ac, it is still able to release two electrons at distinctly d ifferent potentials, ($) over bar E(p1) and ($) over bar E(p2). ($) ov er bar Ep(1) and ($) over bar Ep(2) values are chaning to close, such an approch is quite interesting, Some factors affecting the magnitude of the potential separation Delta E(Delta E=($) over bar E(p2) - ($) o ver bar E(p1)) are envisaged.