Pt(II)-activated coupling of aminoethylferrocene with benzonitrile. A facile access route to a new redox-active bis(ferrocenyl-amidine) anion sensor.

A new heterometallic electroactive compound having the ferrocenyl moiety attached to the platinum atom through an amidine functionality has been prepared via Pt(II)-mediated nucleophilic addition of β-aminoethylferrocene to a benzonitrile ligand. This neutral receptor shows remarkable electrochemical anion-sensing redox response to H(2)PO(4)(-).