Preparation and structures of 1 '-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenecarboxaldehyde and {1 '-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenyl}methanol

Ferrocenophane-ring opening in (ferroccne-1,1'-diyl)phenylphosphine with ph enyl lithium followed by reaction with N,N-dimethylformamide affords 1'-(di phenylphosphino)ferrocenecarboxaldehyde (1) in good yield. Aldehyde 1 and 1 '-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenecarboxylic acid are nearly quantitatively red uced to {1'-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenyl}methanol (2). Compounds 1 and 2 h ave been characterized by IR, NMR and electron-impact mass spectroscopy and their structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The molec ular structures of 1 and 2 in the solid state do not differ significantly. However, whereas the packing of aldehyde 1 is essentially molecular, alcoho l 2 forms supramolecular structures via extensive hydrogen O-H . . .O bondi ng. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.