Linkage of α-cyclodextrin-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxanes) by inclusion of quasi bifunctional ferrocene

We report the noncovalent linkage of terminally substituted oligo(dimethylsiloxanes) bearing α-cyclodextrins (α-CD) as host end groups for the cyclopentadienyl rings of ferrocene. This double complexation of unsubstituted ferrocene leads to a supramolecuar formation of the siloxane strands. Structural characterization was performed by the use of (1)H NMR and IR spectroscopy and by mass spectrometry. Electron microscopy studies and dynamic light scattering measurements show a significant decrease of the derivative size after the complexation with ferrocene. In addition, further evidence for the successful complexation of the end groups was verified by the shifts of the protons in the (1)H NMR spectra and in the correlation signals of the 2D ROESY NMR spectra.