Synthesis of diferrocenylethyne by molybdenum-catalyzed metathesis of 1-ferrocenylprop-1-yne

Diferrocenylethyne (1) was synthesized by metathesis of 1-ferrocenylprop-1-yne using various catalytic systems based on [Mo(CO)(6)] (5 mole %) and a chlorophenol (30 mole %) in toluene. The yields varied for different chlorophenols; the best conversions were obtained with 2,5-dichlorophenol (66%) and 4-chlorophenol (55%). Alkyne 1 was further reduced to the known (E)-1,2-diferrocenylethene and 1, 2-diferrocenylethane, and its solid-state structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.