Transition metal catalyzed ring‐opening polymerization of silicon‐bridged [1]ferrocenophanes at ambient temperature

A new route to poly(ferrocenylsilanes) under mild conditions via the ring‐opening polymerization of silicon‐bridged [1]ferrocenophanes is presented. Catalytic amounts of the transition metal complexes [Rh(cyclooctene)2(μ‐Cl)]2, Pd(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)Cl2, PdCl2 and PtCl2 in C6D6 at room temperature afforded high molecular weight poly(ferrocenylsilanes) (2). In some cases a symmetrical dimer (3) was obtained as a byproduct.