The new compounds 1,3-dibromo-5-(ferrocenylethynyl)benzene (1), 1-brom
o-3,5-bis(ferrocenylethynyl)benzene (2), and 1,3,5-tris(ferrocenylethy
nyl)benzene (3) have been synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cross-cou
pling reactions and characterized, and the crystal structures of 1 and
3 have been determined; electrochemical studies show chemically rever
sible oxidations with single-step one-electron, two-electron, and thre
e-electron processes per molecule, respectively, indicating that in 2
and 3 the iron(II) centers do not electronically communicate with each
other.