Ferrocenecarbothioamide (1) and its N-ethoxycarbonyl derivative (2) were synthesised by a Friedel-Crafts type reaction of ferrocene with potassium thiocyanate and ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate, respectively, in a strongly acidic medium. The X-ray structure of I was determined and shows conjugation between the ferrocene moiety and the thioamido group. Compound I reacts with chloroacetylferrocene affording 2,4-diferrocenylthiazole, whose structure was determined by X-ray diffraction and electronic properties studied by cyclic voltammetry. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.