A photoswitchable molecular wire with the dithienylethene (DTE) linker, (dppe)(η 5 -C 5 Me 5 )Fe–CC–DTE–CC–Fe(η 5 -C 5 Me 5 )(dppe)

A redox-active diiron complex with the diethynylated dithienylethene (DTE) linker, (dppe)(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))Fe-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-DTE-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-Fe(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))(dppe), shows photochromic behaviour, which switches on and off the communication performance between the two metal centres.