Electron-Transfer Processes in 3,4-Diferrocenylpyrroles: Insight into a Missing Piece of the Polyferrocenyl-Containing Pyrroles Family

Abstract

3,4-Diiodo-1-(triisopropylsilyl)-1H-pyrrole (1), 3,4-diferrocenyl-1-(triisopropylsilyl)-1H-pyrrole (2), and 3,4-diferrocenyl-1H-pyrrole (3) were prepared and characterized using spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. UV–vis spectra of 2 and 3 were correlated with their density functional theory (DFT)-calculated electronic structures as well as theoretically predicted by the time-dependent (TD) DFT-calculations vertical excitation energies. Redox properties of 2 and 3 were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and spectroelectrochemical approaches. Ferrocene-centered oxidation processes in 2 and 3 were found to be separated by ∼180 and ∼300 mV in DCM/TBAP and DCM/(NBu4)[B(C6F5)4] systems, respectively. Stepwise spectroelectrochemical oxidation of 2 and 3 allowed us to obtain spectroscopic signatures of the mixed-valence [2]+ and [3]+ cations. Hush analysis of the intervalence charge-transfer band in [2]+ and [3]+ is suggestive of class II (in Robin and Day classif...