Bis(fulvalene)diiron is the organoiron complex with the formula (C₅H₄-C₅H₄)₂Fe₂. Structurally, the molecule consists of two ferrous centers sandwiched between

fulvalene Fulvalene (bicyclopentadienylidene) is the member of the fulvalene family with the molecular formula C10H8. It is of theoretical interest as one of the simplest non-benzenoid conjugated hydrocarbons. Fulvalene is an unstable isomer of the mor ...

dianions. The compound is an orange solid with lower solubility in benzene than

ferrocene Ferrocene is an organometallic chemistry, organometallic compound with the formula . The molecule is a Cyclopentadienyl complex, complex consisting of two Cyclopentadienyl anion, cyclopentadienyl rings sandwiching a central iron atom. It is an o ...

. Its structure has been verified by

X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science of determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to Diffraction, diffract in specific directions. By measuring th ...

. The compound has attracted some interest for its redox properties.

Preparation

It was first prepared by

Ullmann coupling The Ullmann reaction or Ullmann coupling, named after Fritz Ullmann, couples two aryl or alkyl groups with the help of copper. The reaction was first reported by Ullmann and his student Bielecki in 1901. It has been later shown that palladium and ...

of 1,1'-diiodoferrocene using

copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...

but subsequent work produces the complex is 20-40% yield from dilithiofulvalene and ferrous chloride: :2(C₅H₄Li)₂ + 2FeCl2 → (C₅H₄-C₅H₄)₂Fe₂ + 4LiCl

Related compounds

* Biferrocene

References

{{Cyclopentadienide complexes Ferrocenes Sandwich compounds Cyclopentadienyl complexes