Self-organisation of dodeca-dendronized fullerene into supramolecular discs and helical columns containing a nanowire-like core

Twelve chiral and achiral self-assembling dendrons have been grafted onto a [60]fullerene hexa-adduct core by copper-catalyzed alkyne azide “click” cycloaddition. The structure adopted by these compounds was determined by the self-assembling peripheral dendrons. These twelve dendrons mediate the self-organisation of the dendronized [60]fullerene into a disc-shaped structure containing the [60]fullerene in the centre. The fullerene-containing discs self-organise into helical supramolecular columns with a fullerene nanowire-like core, forming a 2D columnar hexagonal periodic array. These unprecedented supramolecular structures and their assemblies are expected to provide new developments in chiral complex molecular systems and their application to organic electronics and solar cells.     

Fullerene Sugar Balls: A New Class of Biologically Active Fullerene Derivatives

Among the large variety of bioactive C₆₀ derivatives, fullerene derivatives substituted with sugar residues, that is, glycofullerenes, are of particular interest. The sugar residues are not only solubilizing groups; their intrinsic biological properties also provide additional appealing features to the conjugates. The most recent advances in the synthesis and the biological applications of glycofullerenes are summarized in the present review article with special emphasis on globular glycofullerenes, that is, fullerene sugar balls, constructed on a hexa‐substituted fullerene scaffold. The high local concentration of carbohydrates around the C₆₀ core in fullerene sugar balls is perfectly suited to the binding of lectins through the “glycoside cluster effect”, and these compounds are potential anti‐adhesive agents against bacterial infection. Moreover, mannosylated fullerene sugar balls have shown antiviral activity in an Ebola pseudotyped infection model. Finally, when substituted with peripheral iminosugars, dramatic multivalent effects have been observed for glycosidase inhibition. These unexpected observations have been rationalized by the interplay of interactions involving the catalytic site of the enzyme and non‐glycone binding sites with lectin‐like abilities.     

Manganese(III) acetate-mediated free radical reactions of [60]fullerene with beta-dicarbonyl compounds

[60]Fullerene reacted with various beta-dicarbonyl compounds in the presence of Mn(OAc)3*2H2O to generate dihydrofuran-fused [60]fullerene derivatives or 1,4-bisadducts. Dihydrofuran-fused [60]fullerene derivatives 2 could be formed by treatment of alpha-unsubstituted beta-diketones 1a-e or beta-ketoesters 1f and 1g with [60]fullerene in refluxing chlorobenzene in the presence of Mn(III). Solvent-participated unsymmetrical 1,4-bisadducts 3 were obtained through the reaction of [60]fullerene with dimethyl malonate 1h or alpha-substituted beta-dicarbonyl compounds 1i-1n in toluene. A possible reaction mechanism for the formation of different fullerene derivatives is proposed.     

Highly functionalized Bicyclo[2.2.2]octenone-fused [60]fullerenes from masked o-benzoquinones and C(60)

[reaction: see text] The Diels-Alder reactions of masked o-benzoquinones (MOBs) with [60]fullerene, affording novel and highly functionalized bicyclo[2.2. 2]octenone-fused [60]fullerene derivatives, are described.     

Efficient preparation of monoadducts of [60] fullerene and anthracenes by solution chemistry and their thermolytic decomposition in the solid state

The efficient preparation of monoadducts of [60]fullerene and seven anthracenes (anthracene, 1-methylanthracene, 2-methylanthracene, 9-methylanthracene, 9,10-dimethylanthracene, 2,3,6,7-tetramethylanthracene, and 2,6-di-tert-butylanthracene) by cycloaddition in solution is described. The seven mono-adducts of [60]fullerene and the anthracenes were characterized spectroscopically and were obtained in good yields as crystalline solids. The monoadducts of [60]fullerene and anthracene, 1-methylanthracene, 2-methylanthracene and 9,10-dimethylanthracene crystallized directly from the reaction mixture. The thermolytic decomposition at 180 degrees C of the crystalline monoadducts of [60]fullerene and anthracene, 1-methylanthracene, 9-methylanthracene and 9,10-dimethylanthracene all gave rise to the specific formation of a roughly 1:1 mixture of [60]fullerene and the corresponding antipodal bisadducts ("trans-1"-bisadducts) of [60]fullerene and the anthracenes. In contrast, the crystalline monoadducts of [60]fullerene and the anthracene derivatives 2-methylanthracene, 2,3,6,7-tetramethylanthracene and 2,6-di-tert-butylanthracene all decomposed to [60]fullerene and anthracenes (without detectable formation of bisadducts) upon heating in the solid state to temperatures of 180 to 240 degrees C. The formation of the antipodal bisadducts from thermolytic decomposition of crystalline samples of the monoadducts was rationalized by topochemical control.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic and nonlinear optical properties of multiple [60]fullerene-oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene) hybrids

A series of multiple [60]fullerene terminated oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) hybrid compounds has been synthesized through a newly developed in situ ethynylation method. Structural and magnetic shielding properties of the highly unsaturated carbon-rich C(60) and OPE scaffolds were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. Electronic interactions between the [60]fullerenes and the OPE backbones were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments. Our studies clearly show that although the multiple [60]fullerene groups are connected via pi-conjugated OPE frameworks, they present diminutive electronic interactions in the ground state, and the electronic behavior of the [60]fullerene cages are only affected by the OPE backbones through modest inductive effects. Interestingly, sizable third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) responses (gamma) and enhanced two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections (sigma((2))) were determined for the multifullerene-OPE hybrid 31 relative to its OPE precursor from differential optical Kerr effect (DOKE) experiments. Such enhanced NLO performance is presumably due to the occurrence of periconjugation and/or charge transfer effects in the excited state. In addition, comparatively strong excited-state absorption was observed and characterized for OPE pentamer 12. Thus, the use of such fullerene-derivatized conjugated oligomers aids the quest for molecules with large third-order NLO and TPA properties.     

Radical reactions of [60]fullerene with beta-enamino carbonyl compounds mediated by manganese(III) acetate

Manganese(III) acetate dihydrate-mediated reactions of [60]fullerene with beta-enamino carbonyl compounds afforded [60]fullerene-fused pyrroline derivatives, of which the nitrogen atom is directly connected to the fullerene cage. A possible reaction mechanism is proposed.     

[60]富勒烯衍生物的对称性、碳笼结构与C NMR谱

本文全面综述了多种[60]富勒烯衍生物的结构,阐述了(13)~C NMR谱在[60]富勒烯衍生物结构表征中的应用,重点讨论了不同对称性[60]富勒烯衍生物的(13)~C NMR谱图特征.通过[60]富勒烯部分(13)~C共振线的化学位移、数目和相对强度,可以确定[60]富勒烯衍生物的对称结构和加成方式.对于C_s、C_(2v)和C_(3v)对称性的[60]富勒烯衍生物,镜面上的碳原子的相对化学位移很大程度上取决于他们距加成位置的距离.因此,(13)~C NMR谱在碳笼具体结构的确定中具有不可替代的作用.     

Energies of charge transfer and supramolecular interactions of some mono O-substituted calix[6]arenes with [60]fullerene by absorption spectrometric method

Equilibria for the formation of supramolecular complexes of [60]fullerene with a series of mono O-substituted calix[6]arenes, namely: (i) 37-methoxy-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (1), (ii) 37-allyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (2), (iii) 37-phenacyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (3), (iv) 37-ethylester-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (4) and (v) 37-benzyl-38,39,40,41,42-pentahydroxy-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexa(4-tert-butyl)calix[6]arene (5) have been studied in CCl4 medium by absorption spectroscopic technique. The stoichiometry has been found to be 1:1 ([60]fullerene:calix[6]arene) in each case. An absorption band due to charge transfer (CT) transition is observed in each case in the visible region. The vertical ionisation potentials (I(D)(v)) of all the calix[6]arenes under study have been estimated utilising CT transition energy. The experimental I(D)(v) values also yield a good estimate of the electron affinity of [60]fullerene. The degrees of CT in the ground state of the complexes have been found to be very low (about 0.15%). Resonance energy of the complexes have been estimated. Thermodynamic parameters for the supramolecular complex formation of [60]fullerene with mono O-substituted calix[6]arene receptors are reported. It is observed that among the calix[6]arenes under the present study, only 1 and 4 form inclusion complexes with [60]fullerene. This has also been substantiated by theoretical calculation using PM3 method. Thus presence of one substituent group (of different types) on the lower rim of the calix[6]arene molecule has been shown to govern the host-guest complexation process.     

Lewis acid-assisted nucleophilic substitution of fullerene epoxide

[Structure: see text] A 1,4-bis(phenyl)-1,4-dihydro[60]fullerene resulting from an efficient nucleophilic substitution has been obtained by reaction of a fullerene epoxide, C60O, with nucleophilic aromatic compounds in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate as a Lewis acid.     

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.     

Liquid-crystalline fullerodendrimers which display columnar phases

[structure: see text] The title compounds were synthesized by applying the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of aldehyde-based poly(benzyl ether) dendrimers and sarcosine (N-methylglycine) to [60]fullerene (C(60)). The dendritic building blocks used to functionalize C(60) displayed cubic and hexagonal columnar phases. The fullerene derivatives showed rectangular columnar phases of c2mm symmetry.     

[60]富勒烯衍生物的对称性、碳笼结构与13C NMR谱

本文全面综述了多种[60]富勒烯衍生物的结构,阐述了(13)~C NMR谱在[60]富勒烯衍生物结构表征中的应用,重点讨论了不同对称性[60]富勒烯衍生物的(13)~C NMR谱图特征.通过[60]富勒烯部分(13)~C共振线的化学位移、数目和相对强度,可以确定[60]富勒烯衍生物的对称结构和加成方式.对于C_s、C_(2v)和C_(3v)对称性的[60]富勒烯衍生物,镜面上的碳原子的相对化学位移很大程度上取决于他们距加成位置的距离.因此,(13)~C NMR谱在碳笼具体结构的确定中具有不可替代的作用.     

新奇二茂铁甲基氮C60衍生物的合成、结构

尽管目前人们对富勒烯[C₆₀]的过渡金属有机物研究较多^[1],但通过氮卡宾方式连接的C₆₀二茂铁衍生物尚未见报道。鉴于对C₆₀反应的浓厚兴趣及二茂铁的广泛应用价值^[2]我们 利用C₆₀的缺电子性^[3]将其与二茂铁甲基氮卡宾进行[1+2]环加成反应,分离并表征了一种具有齿轮式结构的新奇C₆₀二茂铁衍生物(CpFeC₅H₄CH₂N)5C₆₀(l)。     

Supramolecular [60]Fullerene Liquid Crystals Formed By Self‐Organized Two‐Dimensional Crystals

Fullerene‐based liquid crystalline materials have both the excellent optical and electrical properties of fullerene and the self‐organization and external‐field‐responsive properties of liquid crystals (LCs). Herein, we demonstrate a new family of thermotropic [60]fullerene supramolecular LCs with hierarchical structures. The [60]fullerene dyads undergo self‐organization driven by π–π interactions to form triple‐layer two‐dimensional (2D) fullerene crystals sandwiched between layers of alkyl chains. The lamellar packing of 2D crystals gives rise to the formation of supramolecular LCs. This design strategy should be applicable to other molecules and lead to an enlarged family of 2D crystals and supramolecular liquid crystals.     

Polymerizable C70 derivatives with acrylate functionality for efficient and stable solar cells

Fullerene-based organic solar cells are generally suffering from severe microstructure evolution occurring in their bulk heterojunction active layers and thus are extremely stable. To address it, four polymerizable C₇₀ fullerene derivatives, [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-ethyl acrylate (PC₇₁EA), [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-propyl acrylate (PC₇₁PrA), [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-butyl acrylate (PC₇₁BA), and [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-pentyl acrylate (PC₇₁PeA), have been designed, synthesized, and investigated. These fullerene compounds have a molecular structure, shape and size very like the conventional C₇₀ fullerene acceptor, [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁BM), and have been found no different in their light absorption, redox potentials, and frontier orbital energy levels. Using these fullerene acrylates individually as acceptor and poly(3-hexylthiophene) as donor, organic solar cells have been fabricated and gave optimal efficiencies ranging from 3.32% to 4.16%, comparable to PC₇₁BM-based reference cells (4.06%). Owing to their acrylate functionality, these fullerene derivatives can turn into insoluble upon heating, and thus endow their solar cell devices much better thermostability than PC₇₁BM-based reference cells. The best one, coming from PC₇₁PeA devices, reported an optimal efficiency of 4.16%, and maintained 91.7% efficiency after heat treatment at 150 °C for 35 h. As a sharp contrast, the PC₇₁BM reference cell dropped its optimal efficiency from 4.06% to 0.48% only after 5 h heat treatment. X-ray diffraction, optical and atomic force microscopy, and space-charge-limited current method have been carried out to understand active layer structure, morphology, and charge mobility change during heat treatment.     

A ready access to unprecedented N-anilinopyrazolino[60]fullerenes

A simple and efficient method for the preparation of new synthons based on versatile amino-functionalize pyrazoline[60]fullerene is described. These intermediates are useful in the preparation of new derivatives for applications in materials science. Finally, electrochemical studies of the newly prepared compounds have been performed in solvents with different polarities.     

Dimethyl azo(bisisobutyrate) and C(60) produce 1,4- and 1, 16-Di(2-carbomethoxy-2-propyl)-1,x-dihydro

Thermal decomposition of dimethyl azo(bisisobutyrate) in a solution containing C(60) produced 1,4- and 1, 16-di(2-carbomethoxy-2-propyl)-1,x-dihydro[60]fullerenes in yields of 21% and 27%, respectively, based on reacted C(60). The structure of this first 1,16-dialkyl-1,16-dihydro[60]fullerene was assigned from (13)C 2D INADEQUATE NMR spectra. The 1,16-isomer has first and second electrochemical reduction potentials shifted positively by 0. 18 V relative to those of the 1,4-isomer. From the close similarity of all spectral, chromatographic, and electrochemical data, the previously unassigned isomer of 1,x-di(2-cyano-2-propyl)-1, x-dihydro[60]fullerene, which was obtained from azo(bisisobutyronitrile) and C(60), is also a 1,16-isomer.     

Regioselective synthesis of [60]fullerene eta 5-indenide R3C60- and eta 5-cyclopentadienide R5C60- bearing different R groups

Treatment of a 1,7-diorgano[60]fullerene with Grignard reagents or organocopper reagents affords a [60]fullerene indenide or a [60]fullerene cyclopentadienide regioselectively in good to excellent yields. These reactions gave an insight into the reaction mechanism of the organocopper penta-addition reaction of [60]fullerene, giving [60]fullerene cyclopentadienide in quantitative yield.