Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble ferrocene-dendrimers

The synthesis of two new families of water-soluble phosphorus dendrimers of type Poly(PhosphorHydrazone) (PPH) incorporating ferrocene(s) in their internal structure is reported. In the first series, the ferrocene is located at the core and the dendrimers (first and second generations) are ended either by ammonium groups or carboxylate groups, both ensuring the solubility in water. The electrochemical properties of one of them are reported. A new difunctional ferrocene suitable to be used as component of the branches of dendrimers has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. It has been used for the synthesis of a second series of dendrimers incorporating 24 ferrocenes, located in the branches at the level of the second generation. The synthesis of these dendrimers is carried out up to the third generation ended by ammoniums or carboxylates. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.