ABSTRACT
Molecular aspects are crucial in nanoscience for the definition of electric and photonic devices, since the to-down approach using smaller and smaller chips is now reaching its limits. Challenges involving the bottom-up approach concern the design of molecular nanowires, nanoswitches and nanomagnets involving both bulk metals connected by molecular components. Therefore, the study of electron-transfer processes of such nano-systems is of basic importance for applications towards modern nanotechnology. We have engaged a program for the construction of molecular materials, essentially ferrocenyl terminated dendrimers and ferrocenyl-terminated gold colloids. Here, we review aspects dealing with the electrochemistry and electron-transfer chemistry of ferrocenyl dendrimers and other redox-active metallodendrimers.
