Synthesis, characterization and antioxidant activity of ferrocenylhydrazones

Condensation reactions of 1, 1'-diacylferrocenes with hydrazine hydrate afford a series of 1, 1'-bishydrazonoalkylferrocenes. Characterizations were carried out by using IR, 1HNMR, electronic absorption and elemental analysis. Antioxidant activity of the compounds and their precursors was investigated with DPPH. The result indicated that diacylferrocene derivatives (hydrazones) had certain antioxidant activity, which were enhanced by the increase of compounds concentration, but reduced as the bulkiness of the alpha-substituent hydrozone group increased. The antioxidant activity of diacylferrocenedizones was much higher than that of precursors (diacylferrocenes). (author)