1,1′-Dibromo-2,2′,5,5′-tetrakis(methylthio)ferrocene

The reaction of 1,1′-dibromoferrocene with three equivalents of LiTMP and Me2S2 produces a product mixture, from which 1,1′-dibromo-2,2′-bis(methylthio)ferrocene (4) can be isolated in moderate yield. Further treatment of the isolated compound 4 with two equivalents of LiTMP and Me2S2 also produced a mixture, from which the title compound 7 could be isolated. A crystal structure determination of 7 shows that the two cyclopentadienyl rings are oriented in such a way that a maximum number of S…Br contacts results. Intermolecular S…Br contacts, supported by S…S contacts, lead to a 1D-chain polymer in [1 0 0] direction.

The spontaneous self-assembly of a molecular water pipe in 3D space

The self-assembly and self-organization of water molecules are relevant in many fields of research. When water spontaneously reacts with 2,2,6,6-tetra-methyl-piperidine (TMP) to form colourless and crystalline discrete needles, only in the exact ratio of 2:1, it is important to understand the phenomenon. Single-crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction data have unveiled that TMP self-assembles around columns of water molecules, and as such, the resulting adduct may be described as a series of molecular water pipes.