Syntheses, characterization and study of the properties of heterobimetallic compounds containing ferrocenyl units - X-ray crystal structure of: [Zn{(eta(5)-C5H5)Fe[(eta(5)-C5H4)-CH=N-CH2-CH2-N(CH3)(2)]}Cl-2]

The synthesis, characterization and study of the new ferrocenyl Schiff base:[(5-C5H5)Fe{(eta(5)-C5H4)-CH=N-CH2-CH2-N(CH3)(2)}] (1) is reported. This substrate reacts with Na-2[PdCl4] or with transition metal dichlorides MCl2.nH(2)O (with M = Zn, Ni, Co or Cu) giving the corresponding coordination compounds: [M{(eta(5)-C5H5)Fe[(eta(5)-C H-5(4))-CH=N-CH2-CH2-N(CH3)(2)]}Cl-2] {with M = Pd (2), Zn (3), Ni (4), Co (5), and Cu (6)). These heterobimetallic compounds have been characterized by infrared and W-visible spectroscopies. NMR-spectroscopic studies on the diamagnetic derivatives (1-3) together with magnetochemical studies on the paramagnetic species (4-6) are also reported. Crystals of complex 3 have also been characterized by X-nay diffraction: orthorhombic, space group Pcab, with a = 12.225(1) Angstrom; b = 14.685(1) Angstrom; c = 19.474(1) Angstrom, and V = 3498.4(4) Angstrom(3). Electrochemical studies, based on cyclic voltammetry, for all the compounds have allowed us to establish the influence of the central atom M(II) upon the redox ability of the Fe(II). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.