Anodic electrochemistry of ferrocenylphosphine and ruthenocenylphosphine chalcogenide complexes and Lewis acid adducts

The anodic electrochemistry of a series of bidentate phosphine chalcogenides and bidentate phosphine Lewis acid adducts, both with a metallocene backbone, was examined in dichloromethane containing [NBu4] [PF6]. Oxidation of the ferrocene compounds dppfE(2) and dippfE(2) (E = O, S, BH3, CH3+) was reversible on the cyclic voltammetric (CV) time scale, while the oxidation of the dpprE(2) compounds (E = O, S, BH3) was irreversible; however, the oxidation of dppfSe(2), dippfSe(2), and dpprSe(2) displayed an irreversible wave and the reduction of a follow-up product.