Study Of Trimethylsilylcyanation To 1,1'-diacylferrocenes

The addition of trimethylsilylcyanation (TMSCN) to diacylferrocenes Fc' (COR )2 (R=Me, Et, Ph, p-ClC6H4, w-ClC6H4, o-ClC6H4, p-MeOC6H4, m-Me-Ph, p-Me-Ph), catalyzed by zinc iodide in acetonitrile provided the corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers in moderate to high yields. Factors affecting the reaction and yields of adducts were investigated.Such as influence of catalyts and solvents and influence of stereo structure and electrical effects. All new compounds were characterized by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies. In addition, the adducts of 1,1' -bis(acetyl)ferrocene and 1,1 -bis(p-methoxybenzoyl)ferrocene were structurally determined by X-ray crystallography. The possible catalytic cycle was shown for this reaction.