Deca(4-methylbenzyl)ferrocen und -stannocen / Deca(4-methylbenzyl)ferrocene and -stannocene

Cyclopentadiene reacts with five equivalents of 4-methylbenzylalcohol (1:5,6 mole ratio) and sodium yielding penta(4-methylbenzyl)cyclopenta-2,4-diene (1), which upon treatment with butyl lithium affords the lithium salt [(4-MeC6H4CH2)(5)C-5]Li (2). The reactions of 2 with FeCl2 and SnCl2 result in the formation of deca(4-methylbenzyl)ferrocene (3) and deca(4-methylbenzyl)stannocene (4), respectively. The H-1 and C-13 NMR, IR and mass spectra of the new compounds as well as the single crystal X-ray structure analysis of I are reported and discussed.