Synthesis and Electrochemistry of Octamethylferrocenyl-Functionalized Dendrimers

New octamethylferrocenyl dendritic macromolecules are reported. The condensation reaction of octamethylferrocenyl aldehyde (1) with dendritic polyamines DAB-dend-(NH2)x (x = 4, 8, 16, 32) affords up to the fourth generation of the octamethylferrocenylimine dendrimers DAB-dend-(NCHFc#)x (x = 4, 8, 16, 32) (2−5). Reduction of the imine groups leads to the corresponding octamethylferrocenylmethylamine dendrimers DAB-dend-(NHCH2Fc#)x (6−9) with 4, 8, 16, and 32 octamethylferrocenyl units per molecule, respectively. Characterization of the synthesized dendrimers by 1H and 13C{1H} NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis supports their assigned structures. The redox activity of the octamethylferrocenyl centers in 6−9 has been characterized by cyclic voltammetry. Solution electrochemical studies showed that all the octamethylferrocenyl redox centers attached to the dendritic surface are electrochemically independent and that, in CH2Cl2 as solvent, the neutral dendrimers undergo oxidativ...