Application of sol-gel methods to obtain silica materials decorated with ferrocenyl-ureidopyrimidine moieties. Preparation of hollow spheres and modification of a carbon electrode

The application of a sol-gel method, starting from N-(4-ferrocenyl-6-phenylpyrimidin-2-yl)-N’-(3-(triethoxysilyl)prop-1-yl)-urea (4), tetraethoxysilane and a structure directing agent, led to the formation of hollow spherical particles with organic moieties concentrated on the inner surface. A similar sol-gel electrodeposition technique was used for the modification of the surface of a spectral graphite electrode. The solid materials were characterized by solid phase NMR and IR measurements, thermal analysis, SEM and TEM. The functional group attached to the ferrocene core offers the possibility to form H-bonds with various guest molecules that makes it a potential electrochemical sensor.