Synthesis of new ferrocenyldithiophosphonate derivatives: Electrochemical, electrochromic, and optical properties

Abstract

In this study, three ferrocenyl dithiophosphonate derivatives were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, and NMR (1H-, 31P-) spectroscopy. Electroactivities of synthesized molecules were determined by cyclic voltammetry experiments. It was shown that all molecules were electroactive and only one of them that contained conjugated structure could polymerized by electrochemical experiments. Characterization of electrosynthesized metallopolymer was realized and electrochromic and spectroelectrochemical properties were investigated. The onset energy for the π-π∗ transition (electronic band gap), HOMO, and LUMO energy levels were calculated as 2.31, -4.44, and 2.13 eV, respectively. Switching time and optical contrast values of metallopolymer were found as 1.5 s and 41% at 435 nm, respectively, whereas these values were found as 2.5 s and 40%, respectively, at 700 nm.