1,2-Dicyanoferrocene: synthesis and characterization

A convenient synthesis of 1,2-dicyanoferrocene (3) was developed by using 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene as a dehydrating agent for the treatment of 1,2-ferrocenedicarbaldehyde dioxime (2) to give 3 in yields exceeding 80%. Compounds 2 and 3 have been characterized by IR and NMR (1H, 13C{1H}) spectroscopy and by electrochemistry (cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry). Furthermore, the molecular structures of 2 and 3 in the solid state have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies.