A ferrocenylmethylselenolate complex of Ag(I): preparation of the polyferrocenyl cluster [Ag-8(SeCH(2)Fc)(8)(PPh3)(4)] from the new silylated reagent FcCH(2)SeSiMe(3)

The octaferrocenyl cluster [Ag-8(SeCH(2)Fc)(8)(PPh3)(4)] 3 can be prepared in good yield from FcCH(2)SeSiMe(3) 1 and solubilized AgOAc. The reagent 1 and disubstituted 1,1'-fc(CH2SeSiMe3)(2) 2 are themselves prepared in good yield from Li[SeSiMe3] with FcCH(2)Cl and fc(CH2Cl)(2), respectively. Reaction of 2 with [Zn(OAc)(2)(tmeda)] yields the dimeric complex [{Zn(fc(CH2Se)(2))(tmeda)}(2)] 4. The structures of 3, 4 and di(ferrocenylmethyl)diselenide 5, as determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography, are reported.