Solvent and temperature effects on the electrochemical reduction of some η5-cyclopentadienyliron hexafluorophosphates of η6-polycyclic and η6-heterocyclic complexes

Electrochemical reduction studies of a series of η6-polycyclic and η6-heterocyclie arene-η5-cyclopentadienyliron cations were carried out in different solvents and at different temperatures. The complexes were reduced in two one-electron steps. Stability of the first reduction product was much higher than the second one. However, both undergo an irreversible chemical transition involving solvent molecules. The kinetics of the chemical reaction following the first reduction step were studied in detail. The rate constants in various solvents were determined by matching experimental curves with ones obtained by a numerical simulation.