Synthesis of ferrocene tethered open and macrocyclic bis-β-lactams and bis-β-amino acid derivatives

New bioorganometallic ferrocene derivatives are synthesized through a Diversity Oriented Synthesis strategy. Easily available ferrocene bisimines have been transformed into open ferrocenyl bis-beta-lactams. These compounds have demonstrated to be versatile synthons used in further transformations into new ferrocene bis-beta-amino acids. Carefully selected substituents submitted to ring closing metathesis (RCM) and Cu-catalyzed oxidative alkyne coupling conditions have also allowed the conversion of open substrates into ferrocenic macrocyclic bis-beta-lactams.