Ferrocene CAS 102-54-5

Chiral ferrocene phosphine is used as a ligand for transition metal catalytic reactions. Some of them have been found in industrial applications in the synthesis of drugs and agricultural chemicals. For example, diphosphine 1,1 ‘- bis (diphenylphosphine) ferrocene (dppf) is an important ligand for palladium coupling reaction, and Josiphos ligand can be used for hydrogenation catalysis. They are named after Josi Puleo, the first technician to manufacture them.

Ferrocene and its derivatives are antiknock agents used in gasoline engine fuels. They are safer than the tetraethyl lead used before. A gasoline additive solution containing ferrocene can be added to unleaded gasoline, enabling it to be used in older cars designed to use leaded gasoline. The iron containing deposits formed by ferrocene can form a conductive coating surface on the spark plug. The ferrocene polyethylene glycol copolymer prepared by condensation reaction between ferrocene derivatives and substituted dihydroxyalcohols is expected to become a component of rocket propellants. These copolymers provide thermal stability for rocket propellants, serve as propellant binders, and control propellant combustion rates.

It has been found that ferrocene can effectively reduce the smoke and sulfur trioxide generated during coal combustion. By adding coal impregnation or adding ferrocene to the combustion chamber in any practical way, the amount of these unwanted byproducts can be significantly reduced, even with the use of small amounts of metal cyclopentadienyl compounds.

Ferrocene derivatives have been studied as drugs, and one of the compounds, ferrocene ketone, was approved for use in the Soviet Union in the 1970s but is no longer available for sale. In recent years, only one drug has entered clinical trials, Ferroquine (7-chloro-N – (2- (dimethylamino) methyl) ferrocenyl) quinolin-4-amine), an antimalarial drug that has reached Phase IIb trials. A polymer based drug delivery system containing ferrocene has been studied.

The anticancer activity of ferrocene derivatives was first studied in the late 1970s, when derivatives with amine or amide groups were tested for anti lymphocytic leukemia. Some ferrocene salts exhibit anticancer activity, but no compounds have been clinically evaluated. Ferrocene derivatives have strong inhibitory activity on human lung cancer cell line A549, colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 and breast cancer cell line MCF-7. According to reports, one experimental drug is a ferrocene version of tamoxifen. The idea is that tamoxifen will bind to estrogen binding sites, leading to cytotoxicity.

Ferrocarbons was used for cancer applications by Feroscan, a French biotechnology company founded by Pr. Gerard Yaune.

Ferrocene and its related derivatives used as strong burning rate catalysts in ammonium perchlorate composite propellants.