Solvent free mechanochemical oxygenation of fullerene under oxygen atmosphere

Oxygenation of fullerene took place under mechanical stressing by a simple vibration mill in an oxygen atmosphere at 1 atm. Milled products were mixtures of poly-oxidized fullerene, C₆₀O_n, containing C-O-C and CO bonds. We observed a concurrent reaction as well, that is, polymerization of C₆₀ and C₆₀O. The average number of oxygen, n, of the overall products obtained by milling for 5 h was 8.6 per molecule of C₆₀. We confirmed generation of singlet oxygen during the present mechanochemical reaction by an ESR spin trapping method. Trapping of ¹O₂ was completely inhibited the oxygenation of fullerene. Formation of ¹O₂ is attributed to the energy transfer from mechanically excited state of fullerene and plays a decisive role on the present oxygenation of fullerene under mechanical stressing in O₂. In contrast, no ¹O₂ was observed by mechanically stressing the conventional photo-sensitizer, rosebengal. The difference in the behavior of C₆₀ and rosebengal is interpreted in terms of molecular deformation, being much easier for a 3D molecule, C₆₀, than a planar molecule, in line with the concept of inverse Jahn-Teller effects.