Ferrocene compounds XXII. Synthesis and reactions of some ferrocenylthiaaliphatic acids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(95)05745-B

Condensation of several ferrocenylcarbinols (1) with thioglycolic acid, β-mercaptopropionic acid or ss-mercaptoisobutyric acid in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid have given the corresponding ferrocenylthiaaliphatic acids (2-4) with 65-99% yields. Instead of the expected intramolecularly cyclized products, reactions of the acids 2-4 with trifluoroacetic anhydride give 23-30% of the 1,2-disubstituted 1,2-diferrocenylethanes (8), 15-26% of trimeric species (9), and about 30% of oligomeric species (10). The mechanism of the reactions is discussed.