Synthesis and redox properties of novel ferrocenes with redox active 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol fragments: The first example of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxyl radicals in ferrocene system

Novel Schiff bases of ferrocenecarboxaldehyde bearing 2,6-di-tert-butyphenol fragments N-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)iminomethylferrocene (1) and N-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)iminomethylferrocene (2) have been synthesized and characterized. The oxidation of the compounds 1 and 2 by PbO2 in solution leads to the formation of stable phenoxyl radicals 1′ and 2′ studied by EPR spectroscopy. The redox properties of ferrocenes 1 and 2 were studied using cyclic voltammetry.