In this research the relationship between the redox potentials of ferrocene caps, bridged by alkyl chains of varying length, was studied. The goal of this research was to prepare model compounds for a general study of the semiconductor properties of oligothiophenes. The ferrocene capped n-alkanes were created to serve as model compounds for two ferrocenes connected by an insulator.
Three different ferrocene capped alkane derivatives were synthesized for comparison of redox potentials. The ferrocene derivatives varied in distance between the two ferrocene caps. After being reduced, the hydrocarbons, of the ferrocene derivatives, included lengths of 5, 8, and 12 carbons. To assure that the molecules had been correctly synthesized three different types of analyses were used. Mass spectrometry, NMR spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy were the three main analysis techniques used. These apparatuses helped to ensure that the molecules were correctly synthesized, and if they had not been, they helped to show what would be necessary to purify them.
The separate molecules, with varying hydrocarbon length, capped with ferrocene molecules on both ends of the hydrocarbon chain, were tested for redox potentials of the ferrocene caps. There was some reason to believe that as the hydrocarbon chain between the two ferrocene molecules was increased, the redox potentials of the ferrocene caps would have decreased. With this in mind, there was reason to believe that as the hydrocarbon increased in length, the charge placed on one of the ferrocene caps would have a smaller effect on the other ferrocene cap, where the chain length was greatest. Therefore, by placing a charge on one of the ferrocene caps, the oxidation potential could be tested on the opposite ferrocene molecule, and the redox potentials could be compared to the distance between the ferrocene molecules.