The conversion of 1,1′-dibromoferrocene to 1,2-dibromoferrocene: The ferrocene-chemist’s dream reaction

The conversion of 1,1′-dibromoferrocene to a range of 2-substituted bromoferrocenes is described. The products are useful in the preparation of a wide number of 1,2-disubstituted ferrocenes. This includes the preparation of 1,2-dibromoferrocene and 2-(diisopropylphosphino)bromoferrocene in what is a clean and simple synthesis. The synthesis may be carried out on a large scale and for the first time produces multigram quantities of these important precursor compounds. In addition the synthetic procedure may be modified to produce a new family of ferrocene-based tris-phosphine ligands such as bis(2-diphenylphosphinoferrocenyl)phenylphosphine.