A convenient method for synthesis of novel alkylferrocene derivatives with various functional groups: synthesis, characterization and electrochemical investigation

In this research, new ferrocenylmethylesters were synthesized according to esterification reaction. To reach this purpose, direct and indirect esterification methods were used. Indirect method included Cannizzaro reaction of new alkylferrocenecarboxaldehydes result in production of alkylferrocenecarboxylic acids and alkyl(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene derivatives. Finally, a variety of known procedures were used for converting the new alkylferrocenecarboxylic acids to the corresponding esters. The oxidative esterification reaction was accomplished using K2CO3/I2 as oxidant in the direct method. The advantages of this method are one-pot and single-step reaction and remarkably high total yield of this procedure. The chemical structures were confirmed with FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MASS spectroscopy as well as CHN analysis. Electrochemical behavior of synthesized compounds was studied by cyclic voltammetry, and the relationship between the peak currents and the square root of the scan rate showed that the redox process is diffusion-limited.