Syntheses, crystal structure and electrochemical characterization of ferrocene-containing nickel(II) complexes with 4,11-dihydro-5,7,12,14-tetramethyldibenzo[b,i][1,4,8,11]tetraazacyclotetradecine

In the title complexes, {[(η-C₅H₅)Fe(η-C₅H₄)(CO)](C₂₂H₂₁N₄)Ni} (1) and {[(η-C₅H₅)Fe(η-C₅H₄)(CO)]₂(C₂₂H₂₀N₄)Ni} (2), one and two electroactive ferrocenes (Fc) were grafted onto the methine of the nickel complex Nitmtaa (H₂tmtaa = 4,11-dihydro-5,7,12,14-tetramethyldibenzo[b,i][1,4,8,11]tetraazacyclotetradecine) through the carbonyl groups. The two new complexes were characterized by IR, UV, MS and NMR spectra as well as by DSC measurements. The crystal structure of 1 was determined. Ni coordinates to four nitrogen atoms of tmtaa, and it is almost in the same plane as the N₄ plane. The mean Ni–N bond distance in the N₄ plane is 1.866 Å. The non-planar, saddle-shaped conformation of H₂tmtaa is almost retained in the nickel complex. The symmetry axis of ferrocene is almost parallel to the N₄ plane in Nitmtaa. The dihedral angle between the N₄ plane in Nitmtaa and the cyclopentadienyl ring in ferrocene is 98.5°. The electrochemistry of 1 and 2 was studied by cyclic voltammetry in CH₂Cl₂/1 × 10⁻¹ M n-Bu₄NClO₄ using a glass carbon working electrode. Because of the electron transfer between the electroactive ferrocene and the completely conjugated system of Nitmtaa, the complexes show novel electrochemical properties and the ferrocenes in 1 and 2 act as electron acceptors.