Ferrocenderivate

Ferrocene derivatives of formula (I) are new (where, X = hydrogen or hydroxyl; Y = H or CH2OH; Z = (CH2)s-CH2OH; R = linear or branched alkyl with 2-6 carbon (C) atoms; r = 0-8, preferably 0-2; s = 0-8, preferably 1 and 2). USE - (I) are useful e.g. as burning modifiers in solid fuels for rockets (claimed), especially composite fuels containing ammonium perchlorate, and gas generators. ADVANTAGE -Small amounts of (I) greatly increase the burning rate at low pressure and lower the pressure exponent from 0.5-0.6 to 0.1-0.4 for a fast-burning fuel. (I) do not migrate and can be synthesised much more easily than known non-migrating modifiers. They are liquids with a high Fe content, low viscosity and low vapour pressure.