Efficient electronic communication between two identical ferrocene centers in a hydrogen-bonded dimer.

A novel ferrocene derivative that contains a donor-donor-acceptor-acceptor (DDAA) hydrogen bonding motif forms highly stable, noncovalent dimers in chloroform and dichloromethane solutions. Its voltammetric behavior and the observation of an intervalence charge-transfer band reveal that the two equivalent ferrocene centers in the hydrogen-bonded dimer exhibit a surprisingly efficient level of electronic communication.