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Ferrocene-based derivatization in analytical chemistry

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Abstract

Ferrocene-based derivatization has raised considerable interest in many fields of analytical chemistry. This is due to the well-established chemistry of ferrocenes, which allows rapid and easy access to a large number of reagents and derivatives. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of ferrocenes are attractive with respect to their detection. This paper summarizes the available reagents, the reaction conditions and the different approaches for detection. While electrochemical detection is still most widely used to detect ferrocene derivatives, e.g., in the field of DNA analysis, the emerging combination of analytical separation methods with electrochemistry, mass spectrometry and atomic spectroscopy allows ferrocenes to be applied more universally and in novel applications where strongly improved selectivity and limits of detection are required.

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Abbreviations

AAS:

atomic absorption spectroscopy

AED:

atomic emission detection

APCI:

atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

CGE:

capillary gel electrophoresis

CV:

cyclic voltammetry

DPV:

differential pulse voltammetry

DRC:

dynamic reaction cell

EC:

electrochemistry

ECD:

electrochemical detection

ECL:

electrochemiluminescence

ESI:

electrospray ionization

FBA:

ferroceneboronic acid

FCA:

ferrocenecarboxylic acid

FCC:

ferrocenecarboxylic acid chloride

FEM:

N-(2-ferroceneethyl)maleimide

FMEA:

ferrocenecarboxylic acid-(2-maleimidoyl)ethylamide

GC:

gas chromatography

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

ICP:

inductively coupled plasma

LC:

liquid chromatography

MALDI:

matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization

MS:

mass spectrometry

OES:

optical emission spectroscopy

SWV:

square wave voltammetry

TOF:

time-of-flight

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Acknowledgements

Financial support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Bonn, Germany) and the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie (Frankfurt, Germany) is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstr. 30, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Bettina Seiwert & Uwe Karst

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  1. Bettina Seiwert
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  2. Uwe Karst
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Seiwert, B., Karst, U. Ferrocene-based derivatization in analytical chemistry. Anal Bioanal Chem 390, 181–200 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-007-1639-7

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