CATALYTIC AND STOICHIOMETRIC SYNTHESIS OF FERROCENE-CONTAINING POLYAZAMACROCYCLES AND CHELATING BIDENTATE NITROGEN LIGANDS

A series of ferrocene-containing chelating bidentate nitrogen ligands (1 & 2) and polyazamacrocycles (3 & 4) were prepared in high yields fr om the reaction of ferrocenecarboxaldehydes with corresponding diamine s under various catalytic and stoichiometric reaction conditions. The stoichiometric condensation to form Schiff bases required the presence of MgSO4 in the reaction mixture as a water-absorbent. Employment of cyclic diamines such as 1,2-diaminacyclohexane and p-phenylenediamine in the reaction with 1,1'-ferrocenedicarboxaldehyde resulted in the fo rmation of polymers in stead of the expected macrocycles. Al these com pounds were characterized by microanalytical and spectroscopic techniq ues. In one case, the structure of 3a was confirmed by X-ray crystallo graphy.