The ferrocenyl hydroxymethylphosphines FcP(CH₂OH)₂ [Fc=(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄)] and 1,1′-Fc′[P(CH₂OH)₂]₂ [Fc′=Fe(η⁵⁻C₅H₄)₂] were prepared by reactions of the corresponding primary phosphines FcPH₂ and 1,1′-Fc′(PH₂)₂ with excess aqueous formaldehyde. The crystal structure of FcP(CH₂OH)₂ was determined and compared with the known ferrocenyl hydroxymethylphosphine FcCH₂P(CH₂OH)₂. The chalcogenide derivatives FcP(E)(CH₂OH)₂ and 1,1′-Fc′[P(E)(CH₂OH)₂]₂ (E=O, S, Se) were prepared and fully characterised. Crystal structure determinations on FcP(O)(CH₂OH)₂ and FcP(S)(CH₂OH)₂ were performed, and the hydrogen-bonding patterns are compared with related compounds. The sulfide shows no hydrogen-bonding involving the phosphine sulfide group, in contrast to other reported ferrocenyl hydroxymethylphosphine sulfides. The platinum complex cis-[PtCl₂{FcP(CH₂OH)₂}₂] was prepared by reaction of 2 mol equivalents of FcP(CH₂OH)₂ with [PtCl₂(1,5-cyclo-octadiene)], and was characterised by 31P-NMR spectroscopy and negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry, which gave a strong [M+Cl]⁻ ion.
