Ferrocenyl oligophenothiazines as organic–organometallic hybrid electrophores – Synthesis, structure, and electronic properties

Oligomeric ferrocene–phenothiazine systems, a novel class of organometallic–organic hybrid electrophores, are easily accessible by Suzuki coupling of iodo ferrocenes and phenothiazinyl and diphenothiazinyl pinacolyl boronates. The triad and the pentad with 1,1′-disubstitution on ferrocene adopt preferentially an eclipsed orientation as a consequence of partial intramolecular π-stacking. In cyclic voltammetry the central ferrocenyl unit acts as an electronic communicator between phenothiazinyl side chains.