Interfacial oxidation of decamethylferrocene by hexacyanoferrate: synthesis and characterization of [Fe-III(eta-C5Me5)(2)](3)[Fe-III(CN)(6)]center dot 2CH(2)Cl(2)center dot 6H(2)O

Decamethylferrocene in dichloromethane is readily oxidised by one equivalent of aqueous hexacyanoferrate(III) by electron transfer at the liquid/liquid interface. In the presence of excess hexacyanoferrate(III), the resulting [Fe-III(eta -C5Me5)(2)](+) ions are extracted into the organic phase, and upon addition of n-heptane, crystals of composition [Fe-III(eta -C5Me5)(2)](3)[Fe-III(CN)(6)]. 2CH(2)Cl(2). 6H2O are formed. The structure has low symmetry and consists of a face-centred array of rows of staggered decamethylferrocenium ions, interspaced with negatively charged ribbons comprising hexacyanoferrate(III) ions and eclipsed decamethylferrocenium ions. Magnetic measurements are consistent with a structure consisting of non-interacting low spin paramagnetic Fe-III centres.