Designing Molecules for Metal−Metal Electronic Communication: Synthesis and Molecular Structure of the Couple of Heterobimetallic Isomers [η6-(2-Ferrocenyl)indene]-Cr(CO)3and [η6-(3-Ferrocenyl)indene]-Cr(CO)3

The heterobinuclear isomers [η 6 -(2-ferrocenyl)indene]-Cr(CO) 3 ( 1 ) and [η 6 -(3-ferrocenyl)indene-Cr(CO) 3 ( 2 ) have been prepared and the crystal structure determination showed that the Fe(C 5 H 5 ) and Cr(CO) 3 groups in the two molecules are disposed in different conformations with respect to the Cp-indene bridging ligand, cisoid in 1 and transoid in 2 . Preliminary electrochemical (CV) and spectroscopic (IR and near-IR) results obtained for the corresponding monooxidized 1 + and 2 + demonstrate the existence of stronger electronic coupling in 1 + than in 2 + .