Synthesis, reactivity, electrochemical and crystallographic studies of diferrocenoyl diselenide and ferrocenoyl selenides

Diacyl diselenide (8), diacyl selenide (9) and acyl selenol esters (10–12) incorporating the ferrocenoyl substituent have been synthesized from ferrocene carboxylic acid (13). The new compounds (8–10) have been characterized by multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C, 77Se), IR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry. All compounds (8–13) undergo a one electron reversible oxidation at significantly more positive potential than ferrocene. The structures of the diselenide and selenide (8 and 10) have been confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The absolute structure parameter of 8 indicates that it crystallizes in an enantiomerically pure form. The peroxidase-like activities of the diselenide (8) and selenides (9–12) have been determined by the thiol assay.