An Efficient Synthesis of Mono‐Substituted Benzyl Ferrocene Derivatives

Abstract

The direct alkylation of ferrocene (FC) can be achieved via a Friedel–Craft reaction using an alkyl halide and AlCl3 ; however, this invariably leads to mixtures of mono‐ and poly‐alkylated complexes. Here, we describe the synthesis of mono‐substituted benzyl FC derivatives by a Friedel–Craft reaction utilizing environmentally benign substrates such as benzyl and allyl alcohol and a catalytic amount of Lewis acid in the absence of organic solvents. The use of molten FC, which plays the role of a solvent, proved a robust way to produce excellent yields of the mono‐substituted FC derivatives. Furthermore, this novel synthetic method is very simple and offers great potential for the industrial‐scale synthesis of FC derivatives.