Resolution of ferrocene and deuterated ferrocene conformations using dynamic vibrational spectroscopy: Experiment and theory

Abstract

The signature of molecular vibrations and distortions in dynamic molecules gives a complex fingerprint which is insightful and can substantiate (or otherwise) chemical hypotheses regarding molecular and conformer stability. Using high-accuracy experimental data of ferrocene (Fc) and deuterated ferrocene (dFc, Fc − d10) at temperatures from 7 K through to 388 K, we obtain complex spectral profiles which require an advanced reaction coordinate model to explain. We obtain compelling evidence that the single conformer model (staggered D5d or eclipsed D5h) used to interpret and explain many experimental results on ferrocene is invalid. However we also present compelling evidence that mixed conformer models are invalid, where ferrocene is represented by an effective dihedral angle between the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) rings; or by a mixture of Boltzmann populations of the two conformers. We find no evidence for single or mixed conformer models despite covering almost all conclusions from past literature for gas, solution or solid phase Fc. Some molecular dynamics computations have imputed free rotation at liquid helium temperatures or at room temperature – we find no evidence for either of these hypotheses.We measure and derive point-wise experimental uncertainty of the spectra, enabling quantitative assessment of specific chemical and physical models about the origin of the spectral line-shapes. A new principle based on the reaction coordinate is introduced. Advanced spectroscopy and modelling is introduced for hypothesis testing, to articulate the nature of the potential surface, the reaction coordinate and subtle conformational changes in dilute systems. Two expected spectral peaks appear inverted in the gas phase, but are explained by our Reaction Coordinate Method (RCM) model. The non-uniform broadening of the singlet and doublet peaks with increasing temperature is explained. Our experimental analysis shows that the lowest energy conformer is D5h for both Fc and dFc. We are able to represent the reduced mass ratios of the lowest vibrational modes for Fc and dFc of 1.11 for ν1 for Fc to Fc-d9 and of 1.10 for Fc to Fc-d10. The measured barrier height for rotation is 7.4 kJ mol−1 and 6.3 kJ mol−1 for Fc and dFc respectively, in comparison to numerous theoretical treatments and past experimental studies. For the first time, we obtain agreement of the model with the complex spectral evolution of profiles. These new techniques are sensitive discriminants of alternate models and chemical systems, which argues for wider application to other complex or impenetrable problems across fields arising for numerous other solutions, frozen or at room temperature.