Trovacene
Other names: (Cycloheptatrienyl)(cyclopentadienyl)vanadium
C12H12V
23/50 
common
Trovacene is a distinctive organovanadium sandwich complex featuring a vanadium atom coordinated between a cyclopentadienyl ring and a cycloheptatrienyl (tropylium) ring. First synthesized by King & Stone in 1959, this molecule represents a unique variation on the classical metallocene structure. While ferrocene contains two identical five-membered rings, trovacene's asymmetric structure with rings of different sizes creates unique electronic properties. Its deep purple crystals are remarkably stable in air, unlike many other organometallic compounds. Trovacene has drawn considerable interest in materials science for its potential applications in molecular electronics and catalysis, where its distinct electronic structure and redox properties can be exploited for selective transformations.