Synthesis, characterization, and electrochemistry of tetracarbonyl(6-ferrocenyl-2,2′-bipyridine)tungsten(0)

6-Ferrocenyl-2,2′-bipyridine (fcbpy) was prepared by the reaction of lithiated ferrocene with bipyridine and employed as a bidentate ligand for the formation of tetracarbonyl(6-ferrocenyl-2,2′-bipyridine)tungsten(0). The labile complex pentacarbonyl[η2-bis(trimethylsilyl)ethyne]tungsten(0) reacts with fcbpy in CH2Cl2 to yield the disubstitution product, W(CO)4(fcbpy), which was isolated as analytically pure substance and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV–Vis, MS, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies. Electrochemistry of the fcbpy molecule and its complex W(CO)4(fcbpy) was studied by cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis combined with UV–Vis spectrometer. In the cyclic voltammogram of both the fcbyp molecule and its complex, an irreversible reduction and a reversible oxidation are assigned to the bipyridine and ferrocene moieties, respectively. The W(CO)4(fcbpy) complex exhibits additionally two irreversible oxidations due to the tungsten centered electron transfer reactions.