last updated Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Meeting 15 (Acetyl Ferrocene)

ATTN: answers to the below questions are due at the start of your lab period; these answers should be part of your pre-lab write-up

Important Announcements:

1. Proposal: due on November 24, 2004 at 5 pm in YH1217 (If you have problems please see me asap!)

2. Oral Presentation: time and location to be assigned (group presentation, but everybody has to speak!)

Homework assignments

1. Cyclopentadiene is not commercially available.

a. How is it obtained in the lab?

b. Which precautions have to be taken when obtaining the monomer?

2. Referring to the following reaction, answer the following questions

Ni(NH₃)₆Cl₂ + 2 NaCp ----> NiCp₂ + 2 NaCl + 6 NH₃

a. Suggest two good solvents for this reaction. Rationalize your choice.

b. What is the driving force for the reaction?

c. Which color does the product have?

3. Referring to the synthesis of acetyl ferrocene, answer the following questions.

a. What is the electrophile the Friedel-Crafts reaction? How is it generated in this reaction? Show an appropriate chemical equation.

b. Name two alternative methods to obtain the same electrophile. Why are these methods not used here?

c. Which organometallic compounds are present in the reaction mixture after the reaction? Draw their structures.

d. How is the crude acetyl ferrocene purified? Outline a detailed procedure and draw the setup used.