Observation of current rectification by the new bimetallic iron(iii) hydrophobe [FeIII2(LN4O6)] on Au|LB-molecule|Au devicesDedicated to the memory of Dr. Mary Jane Heeg (1952-2018) for her contributions to X-ray crystallography.Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Spectrometric, structural, spectroscopic, redox, and I/V data. CCDC 1842912. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c8dt03158d

Targeting the development of stimulus-responsive molecular materials with electronic functionality, we have synthesized and studied the redox and electronic properties of a new bimetallic iron hydrophobe [Fe III 2 (L N4O6 )] ( 1 ). The new H 6 L N4O6 ligand displays bicompartmental topology capable of accomodating two five-coordinate HS Fe III ions bridged by tetraaminobenzene at a close distance of ca . 8 Å. We show that the metal-based reduction processes in ( 1 ) proceed sequentially, as observed for electronically coupled metal centers. This species forms a well-defined Pockels-Langmuir film at the air-water interface, with collapse pressure of 32 mN m −1 . Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers were deposited on gold substrates and used to investigate current-voltage ( I - V ) measurements. This unprecedented bimetallic hydrophobe [Fe III 2 (L N4O6 )] ( 1 ) shows unquestionable molecular rectification and displays a rectification ratio RR between 2 and 15. A new bimetallic iron hydrophobe, [Fe III 2 (L N4O6 )] ( 1 ) forms well-defined films used for current-voltage measurements and shows unquestionable molecular rectification.