One-pot sequential synthesis of acetoxylated [60]fullerene derivatives

[reaction: see text] The reaction of [60]fullerene with 4-substituted phenylhydrazine hydrochlorides in refluxing chlorobenzene under aerobic conditions afforded 1-(4-substituted phenyl)-1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenes, which could be subsequently oxidized to 1-acetoxyl-4-aryl-1,4-dihydro[60]fullerenes by manganese(III) acetate dihydrate in one pot. The transformation of ArC(60)-H to ArC(60)-OAc has been realized with Mn(OAc)(3).2H(2)O for the first time.     

Decatungstate-mediated radical reactions of C60 with substituted toluenes and anisoles: a new photochemical functionalization strategy for fullerenes

A convenient, highly efficient, decatungstate-mediated chemical methodology to functionalize fullerenes is demonstrated. A variety of radicals have been generated by the photochemical interaction of tetrabutylammonium decatungstate [(n-Bu4N)4W10O32] and para-substituted toluenes, anisoles, and thioanisole and effectively trapped by the [60]fullerene affording the corresponding 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerene monoadducts in moderate to good yields.     

On the thermal stability of [60]fullerene cycloadducts: retro-cycloaddition reaction of 2-pyrazolino[4,5:1,2][60]fullerenes

2-Pyrazolino[4,5:1,2][60]fullerenes undergo a thermally induced retro-cycloaddition process whose efficiency is influenced by the nature of the C-substituent. C-Aryl-N-Aryl-2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes (2a-d) poorly undergo a thermal retro-cycloaddition reaction even in the presence of a strong dipolarophile or a metal Lewis acid which, in contrast to other fullerene derivatives, shows their remarkable thermal stability. C-Alkyl-N-Aryl-2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes (2e-f) show a different behavior, being more vulnerable to the presence of copper triflate and leading to the retro-cycloaddition product (pristine C60) in good yield.     

Probing the spatial requirements for [60]fullerene-[60]fullerene π-stacking and the syn addition of [60]fullerenes across acenes

The reaction between 2 equiv of [60]fullerene and 6,8,15,17-tetraphenylheptacene-7,16-quinone leads to both cis and trans-bis[60]fullerene adducts. This result contrasts sharply with the highly diastereoselective syn additions of [60]fullerenes across 6,13-diphenylpentacene and 6,8,15,17-tetraphenylheptacene. The importance of spatially dependent [60]fullerene-[60]fullerene π-stacking interactions in promoting a syn addition of [60]fullerenes is discussed.     

AlCl3-catalyzed tandem acetylation of hydroarylated [60]fullerenes

The AlCl3-catalyzed acetylation of 1,2-hydrophenylated [60]fullerenes, HC60-Ar, proceeded via a sequential manner involving the acetylation at the hydrogenated fullerene carbon, the following intramolecular cyclization with the adjacent aryl group, the facile loss of water, and the second acetylation of the generated indenylidene double bond. However, the similar reaction of the hydrobiphenylated analogue brought about the normal acetylation at the terminal aromatic ring prior to the same sequential reactions as did hydrophenylated fullerenes.     

Absorption spectrophotometric study of supramolecular complexation of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with 24,26-dimethoxy-25,27-dihydroxy calix[4]arene

Supramolecular interactions of 24,26-dimethoxy-25,27-dihydroxy calix[4]arene (1) with [60]- and [70]fullerenes have been studied in only chloroform and in a ternary solvent mixture comprising of chloroform, ethyl alcohol and toluene by UV-vis absorption spectrophotometric method. The experimental results are explained using the model that takes into account the interaction between electronic subsystems of 1 and fullerene. The most interesting feature is the preference of [60]fullerene over [70]fullerene for 1 in ternary solvent mixture as revealed by higher value of formation constant of [60]fullerene/1 complex. The selectivity towards [60]fullerene opens up the way toward self-assembling systems and new separation and purification methods for fullerenes.     

Synthesis and characterization of mono- and bis-methano[60]fullerenyl amino acid derivatives and their reductive ring-opening retro-bingel reactions

The addition of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycinate esters (Ph2C=NCH2CO2R) 3-6 to [60]fullerene under Bingel conditions gives, respectively, the methano[60]fullerenyl iminoesters 7-10. Upon treatment of 7-9 with sodium cyanoborohydride, in the presence of a protic or a Lewis acid, a novel reductive ring-opening reaction occurred to give the corresponding 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenyl glycine derivatives 11-13. Using tethered bis-N-(diphenylmethylene)glycinate esters 33 and 34derived from m- and p-benzenedimethanol scaffolds, the corresponding bis-methano[60]fullerenyl iminoesters 35-38 were synthesized under double Bingel reaction conditions. The m-benzenedimethanol derivative 33 gave the trans-4 (35) and cis-3 (36) regioisomeric bisadducts in a ratio of 80:20. The analogous para-tethered derivative 34 afforded the trans-3 (37) and trans-4 (38) regioisomers in a 80:20 ratio. The regiochemistry of the major bisadducts 35 and 37 (via the trans-esterified 39) were unequivocally determined using 2D INADEQUATE and C-C TOCSY NMR experiments. The regiochemistry of these bis-additions were unexpected on the basis of literature precedents. These results unequivocally show that the regiochemistry of tethered bis-additions is not solely dependent on the nature of the tether. A mixture of the trans-4 and cis-3 nonsymmetrical bisadducts 45 and 46 was obtained from the double-Bingel cyclopropanation of a bis-N-(diphenylmethylene)glycinate tether based on a 1,3-naphthyldimethanol scaffold. The regiochemistry of these compounds (45 and 46) was identified by correlation with the diethyl esters 40 and 47, prepared by trans-esterification of 35/45 and 36/46, respectively. The INADEQUATE and molecular modeling experiments allowed topological mapping of the fullerene surfaces of the bis-methano[60]fullerenes 38 and 42. Reductive ring-opening reactions on the tethered bis-methano[60]fullerenes 35-37, 45, and 46 gave none of the expected bis-fullerenylglycinates rather the reductive ring-opening-retro-Bingel products, the 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenylglycinates 48, 49, 52, and 53. These compounds resulted from the reductive ring-opening of one methanoimino ester moiety and a retro-Bingel reaction of the other. Under analogous reductive ring-opening-retro-Bingel conditions, the nontethered bis-methano[60]fullerene 40 afforded the 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenylglycinate 12. Thus, it was concluded that the tether was not the driving force for the reductive elimination of one of the methano groups.     

Solution NMR studies of supramolecular complexes of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with mono O-substituted calix[6]arene

Supramolecular complexation of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with 37-allyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert butyl)calix[6]arene (I) has been studied in CCl(4) medium by NMR spectrometric method. All of the complexes are found to be stable with 1:1 stoichiometry. Formation constants (K) of the above supramolecular complexes have been determined from systematic variation of NMR chemical shifts of specific protons of I in the presence of [60]- and [70]fullerenes. Trends in the K value suggest that [70]fullerene binds more strongly with I relative to [60]fullerene. Both PM3 and ab initio calculations reveal that the intermolecular interaction in the [70]fullerene/I complex proceeds through quite deep energy minima.     

NMR spectrometric study of molecular complex formation of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with a number of phosphine oxides

Molecular complex formation between [60]- and [70]fullerenes with a series of phosphine oxides, namely, tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide, triphenyl phosphine oxide and tri-n-butyl phosphine oxide has been studied in CCl4 medium by NMR spectrometric method. Both [60]- and [70]fullerenes have been shown to form 1:1 adducts with the above series of phosphine oxides. Formation constants (K) for all the complexes have been determined from the systematic variation of NMR chemical shifts of specific protons of the donors in presence of [60]- and [70]fullerenes. Trends in the values of K suggest that [70]fullerene binds stronger with the phosphine oxides relative to [60]fullerene.     

A comparative study of molecular complexation of [60]- and [70]fullerenes with 1,3,5-tribromobenzene by UV-vis spectrophotometric method

By UV-vis spectrophotometric method it has been shown that 1,3,5-tribromobenzene (TBB) forms molecular complexes of 1:2 stoichiometry with [60]- and [70]fullerenes. An isosbestic point could be detected in case of the [70]fullerene complex. The formation constant of the [60]fullerene complex is higher than that of the [70]fullerene complex at each of the four temperatures under study. This is in opposite order of the electron affinities of the two fullerenes; moreover, no charge transfer band was observed in the spectra of either complex in solution. This indicates that van der Waals forces, rather than CT interactions, are responsible for complexation. The results reveal that the C-atoms at the pentagon vertices of [60]fullerene have greater polarizing power than those in [70]fullerene.     

Intense near-infrared optical absorbing emerald green [60]fullerenes

Synthesis of emerald green fullerenes (EF) C60[C(CH3)(CO2Et)2]6 and C60[C(CH3)(CO2-t-Bu)2]6 was performed by using hexaanionic C60 intermediate (C60-6) as a reagent in one-pot reaction for attaching six alkyl ester addends on one C60 cage. These EF compounds exhibit intense optical absorption over 600-940 nm, the longest optical absorption of the C60 cage among many [60]fullerene derivatives synthesized.     

Highly efficient retro-cycloaddition reaction of isoxazolino[4,5:1,2][60]- and -[70]fullerenes

Isoxazolino[4,5:1,2][60]- and -[70]fullerenes undergo an efficient retro-cycloaddition reaction to pristine fullerene by thermal treatment in the presence of an excess of a dienophile and Cu(II) catalysis, which can be selectively used in the presence of malonate or pyrrolidine cycloadducts. Trapping experiments using N-phenylmaleimide as dipolarophile have shown that the reaction mechanism occurs by thermal removal of the nitrile oxide 1,3-dipole, in a process which is favored by the presence of Cu(II) as the catalyst. The ESI-MS study supports the observed retro-cycloaddition process for both C60 and C70 derivatives. In contrast to previous electrochemical retro-cycloaddition processes observed in fulleropyrrolidines, isoxazolinofullerenes were stable under oxidative conditions.     

Synthesis and 13C NMR features of N-substituted aziridino[60]fullerenes

Russian Chemical Bulletin - An effective cycloaddition of organic azides to fullerene C60 in the presence stoichiometric amounts of Cu(OTf)2 to form individual aziridino[60]fullerenes was...     

Functional 2-benzyl-1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenes as acceptors for organic photovoltaics: facile synthesis and high photovoltaic performances

A new series of functional 2-benzyl-1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenes, BnHCs, were synthesized efficiently via co-catalyzed selective monofunctionalization of C₆₀ with functional benzyl bromides. Photophysical and electrochemical properties of the new BnHCs were investigated. PSCs based on 2-MeO–4-CO₂Me–BnHC as new acceptor and P3HT as donor showed a power conversion efficiency of 3.75%, which is comparable to that of PC₆₁BM under the same device conditions.     

Spectroscopic and thermodynamic study of charge transfer interactions of retinol palmitate with [60]- and [70]fullerenes by absorption spectrometric method

Retinol palmitate (1), which is commonly called "Vitamin A palmitate", has been shown to form charge transfer (CT) complexes with a series of electron acceptors including [60]- and [70]fullerenes, and from the trends in CT transition energies the vertical ionization potential of 1 has been estimated to be 7.73eV. Stoichiometries of the fullerene complexes have been shown to be 1(Vitamin 1): 1([70]fullerene) and 1(Vitamin 1): 2([60]fullerene). The enthalpies and entropies of formation of these two complexes have been determined by estimating the formation constants spectrophotometrically at five different temperatures. The complexation phenomenon may be utilised to dissolve the fullerenes in the non-toxic Vitamin A oil and the solution may be used for testing the biological activity of the fullerenes in vivo.     

Determination of the Electron Density Distribution in the Bonds of a Fullerene Derivative by High-Resolution X-Ray Structure Analysis

Bent bonds in the strained fullerene system , restricted to the [5,6] bonds, were detected by high-resolution X-ray structure analysis of the 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerene derivative 1 . In addition the maxima of electron densities are higher in the [6,6] bonds than in the [5,6] bonds—an important finding with respect to the question of the extent of electron delocalization in fullerenes.     

The synthesis of N-isocyanurato-substituted aziridino[1,2][60]fullerenes

N-Isocyanurato-substituted aziridino[1,2][60]fullerenes were synthesized for the first time as the main products by the reaction of isocyanurato-substituted azides with C₆₀. The thermal stability and the electrochemical behavior of the compounds synthesized were studied.     

A scalable synthesis of methano[60]fullerene and congeners by the oxidative cyclopropanation reaction of silylmethylfullerene

1,2-Dihydromethano[60]fullerene and its congeners have attracted much interest, but they have been synthesized only in very low yields because of several insurmountable problems. A new three-stage synthesis involving addition of a silylmethylmagnesium chloride to [60]- and [70]fullerene and oxidation of the anionic intermediate with CuCl(2) afforded the methano[60]- and methano[70]fullerenes in 90% and 70% overall yield, respectively. The reaction with 1,4-diorgano[60]fullerene also proceeded smoothly to give a diastereomerically pure 56-π-electron fullerene that has a higher LUMO level than the parent fullerene and gave a higher open-circuit voltage and better power conversion efficiency when fabricated into an organic photovoltaic device.     

Synthesis of bis[9-hydroxy-1-{N-hydroxy-2-[(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazinylidene]alkanimidoyl}]-1,9-dihydro[C60-I h][5,6]fullerenes

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - Mixtures of cis-2- and cis-3-bis[9-hydroxy-1-{N-hydroxy-2-[(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazinylidene]-alkanimidoyl}]-1,9-dihydro[C60-I h][5,6]fullerenes were...     

Oxidation of 3-alkyl-substituted 2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes: a new formyl-containing building block for fullerene chemistry

A new building block for fullerene chemistry, endowed with a formyl group on C-3 of the 2-pyrazoline ring, has been prepared in a simple two-step synthesis by oxidation of readily available 3-alkyl-substituted 2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes; the new building block paves the way for the preparation of new light-harvesting fullerenes.