Synthesis of 3-Ferrocenyl Isocoumarins

The derivatives of 3-ferrocenyl isocoumarin were synthesized by the condensation of substituted homothphalic anhydride with ferrocene using phosphoric acid or anhydrous aluminium chloride as cyclising agent. Substituted homophthalic acid did not condense with ferrocene so homophthalic acids were converted into their anhydride and then allowed to react with ferrocene in the presence of polyphosphoric acid or in the presence of anhydrous aluminium chloride using dichloromethane as the solvent to give 3-ferrocenyl isocoumarins. 7-Methoxy, 6-methyl, 5,7-dihydroxy, 6,7-dimethoxy and 5,7-dimethoxy derivatives of 3-ferrocenyl isocoumarin were synthesized. All the compounds were characterised by melting point determination, elemental and spectral analysis.