1,1 '-Bis(trimethylsilylseleno)ferrocene in cluster synthesis: a redox active surface on a copper-selenide core

1,1'-Bis(trimethylsilylseleno)ferrocene 1 has been prepared from the reaction of [1,1'-Fe(eta (5)-C5H4SeLi)(2)(TMEDA)] and ClSiMe3 in good yield. The reactive silyl groups on 1 are used as a driving force for the synthesis of [Cu-8{Fe(eta (5)-C5H4Se)(2)}(4)(PPh2Et)(4)] 2, a cluster possessing four peripheral ferrocenyl moieties.