A high-yield synthesis and the X-ray crystal structure analysis of the dinu
clear complex [FcB(bipy)OC6H4O(bipy)BFc](PF6)(2), 6(PF6)(2), which consists
of two ferrocenyl moieties, two 2,2'-bipyridylboronium substituents and a
hydroquinone linker, is described. The compound is perfectly stable toward
air and moisture. 6(PF6)(2) exhibits a ferrocene-centered two-electron oxid
ation wave and two separate bipyridylboronium-centered two-electron reducti
on steps. No oxidation of the hydroquinone spacer takes place in the solven
t window. 6(PF6)(2) is thus able to accept or deliver up to six electrons.
Attempts to connect two [FcB(bipy)] fragments using glycol rather than hydr
oquinone as the bridging element gave the mononuclear complex [FcB(bipy)O(C
H2)(2)OH]PF6 only. A similar reaction scheme that was applied for the gener
ation of [FcB(bipy)O(CH2)(2)OH]PF6 was employed to synthesize the diol {1,1
'-[HO(CH2)(2)OB(bipy)]2fc}(PF6)(2); fc = [(C5H4)(2)Fe]. This compound is ab
le to store up to five electrons and may find use as a monomer for the gene
ration of cationic, redox-active polyesters and polyurethanes. (C) 2001 Els
evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.