Oxidation of ferrocenyl end-substituted oligothiophenes

A ferrocenyl end-substituted terthiophenes derivative and a sexithiophene d erivative were prepared as model compounds for a molecular wire. Electroche mical measurements and absorption spectroscopy were performed to elucidate the oxidation process and the oxidized states of those model compounds. The first oxidation of the model compounds took place in the ferrocene moietie s (terminals). The resultant oxidized species in the ferrocene moieties see ped into the oligothiophene moieties (wires) and spread over two or three t hiophene rings. Further oxidation of the ferrocenyl-terthiophene derivative did not occur, whereas that of the ferrocenyl-sexithiophene derivative pro duced an oxidized species, such as a cation radical in the sexithiophene mo iety.