Novel open-cage fullerenes having a 12-membered-ring orifice: removal of the organic addends from the rim of the orifice

Two novel open-cage fullerene derivatives bearing a 12-membered-ring orifice on the fullerene cage have been isolated. Removal of the N-MEM protective group leads to the first open-cage [60]fullerene derivative without organic addends on the rim of the orifice. [structure: see text]     

Open-cage fullerene derivatives with 15-membered-ring orifices

The addition reaction of the N-MEM-ketolactam derivative of [60]fullerene with phenyl, p-Br-phenyl, and p-MeO-phenyl hydrazines proceeds regioselectively, affording three open-cage fullerene derivatives bearing a 15-membered-ring orifice on the fullerene cage. Both experimental data and theoretical calculations were utilized for the structure determination of the new [60]fullerene adducts.     

Open-cage fullerene derivatives having 11-, 12-, and 13-membered-ring orifices: chemical transformations of the organic addends on the rim of the orifice

A novel open-cage [60]fullerene derivative, having two sulfur atoms on the rim of its 13-membered-ring orifice, has been isolated and characterized. Extensive studies on the N-MEM group reactivity of this as well as other previously reported open-cage [60]fullerene derivatives led to several new open-cage [60]fullerene adducts.     

Synthesis,structure, and properties of novel open-cage fullerenes having heteroatom(s) on the rim of the orifice

A thermal liquid-phase reaction of fullerene C(60) with 3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine afforded aza-open-cage fullerene derivative 5 having an eight-membered-ring orifice on the fullerene cage. Compound 5 was found to undergo oxidative ring-enlargement reactions with singlet oxygen under photo-irradiation to give azadioxo-open-cage fullerene derivatives 9 and 10, which have a 12-membered-ring orifice, in addition to a small amount of azadioxa-open-cage fullerene derivative 11, which has a 10-membered-ring orifice. A thermal reaction of 9 with elemental sulfur in the presence of tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene resulted in further ring-enlargement to give azadioxothia-open-cage fullerene derivative 15, which has a 13-membered-ring orifice. The structures of 5 and 15 were determined by X-ray crystallography, while those of 9, 10, and 11 were confirmed by the agreement of observed (13)C NMR spectra with those obtained by DFT-GIAO calculations. These reactions were rationalized based on the results of molecular orbital calculations. Following electrochemical measurements, compounds 9 and 10, which have two carbonyl groups on the rim of the orifice, were found to be more readily reduced than C(60) itself (the first reduction potential was found to be 0.2 V lower than that of C(60)), while the first reduction potentials of other open-cage fullerene derivatives, 5, 11, and 15, were nearly the same as that of C(60).     

Towards the rational synthesis of norfullerenes. controlled deletion of one carbon atom from C60 and preparation of 2,5,9-trioxo-1-nor(C60-Ih)[5,6]fullerene C59(O)3 derivatives

Norfullerenes are fullerene-like compounds (fulleroids) resulting from partial deletion of fullerene skeleton carbons. The one carbon less norfullerene C59(O) 3 derivatives having three carbonyl groups on the rim of the orifice are prepared through peroxide-mediated reactions. A key step involves a novel PCl 5 initiated rearrangement of a hydroxyl amine adduct. Decarboxylation serves as the carbon removal step.     

Unexpected reactions of [60]fullerene involving tertiary amines and insight into the reaction mechanisms

Thermal reactions of [60]fullerene with amino acid ester hydrochlorides and triethylamine in o-dichlorobenzene at reflux afforded pyrrolidinofullerene derivatives containing the CH(3)CH moiety and originating from triethylamine through an unusual C-N bond cleavage. Detailed investigation of these thermal reactions resulted in the discovery of unprecedented reactions between C(60) and tertiary amines and of reactions of C(60) with tertiary amines and aldehydes, giving cyclopentafullerene derivatives with high stereoselectivity. Plausible reaction mechanisms for the product formation involving the uncommon C-N bond cleavage of tertiary amines were proposed on the basis of extensive experimental results.     

Synthesis of fulleropyrrolidines through the reaction of [60]fullerene with quaternary ammonium salts and amino acids

The reactions of [60]fullerene with amino acids and quaternary ammonium salts in toluene afforded two fulleropyrrolidine derivatives. One fulleropyrrolidine derivative contained a RCH moiety originating from quaternary ammonium salts through C–N bond cleavages and other fulleropyrrolidine derivatives contained a PhCH moiety originating from toluene through C–H bond cleavage. By using chlorobenzene instead of toluene as solvent, only one fulleropyrrolidine derivative containing a RCH moiety was obtained in the reactions.     

Preparation of fullerendione through oxidation of vicinal fullerendiol and intramolecular coupling of the dione to form hemiketal/ketal moieties

[reaction: see text] Vicinal fullerendiol is oxidized to fullerendione in good yield by (diacetoxy)iodobenzene. The resulting cage-opened fullerendione reacts with oxygen nucleophiles in the presence of BF(3).Et(2)O to form fullerene hemiketal/ketal derivatives through coupling of the two carbonyl groups. Fullerene-mixed peroxide derivatives are involved in all these reactions. The compounds are characterized by spectroscopic data and single-crystal X-ray analysis.     

Synthesis of fullerene multiadducts with mixed oxygen and nitrogen addends including five secondary amino groups

The reaction of aminoketal[60]fullerene peroxide with pyrrolidine removes all the peroxo groups giving the aminooxahomo[60]fullerene derivatives with five amino addends together with one hydroxyl, one epoxy and three ether moieties. The structure has been determined by spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray analysis.     

Preparation of a 12-membered open-cage fullerendione through silane/borane-promoted formation of ketal moieties and oxidation of a vicinal fullerendiol

[60]Fullerene mixed peroxide C(60) (OH)(Cl)(OOtBu) reacts with PhMe(2)SiH/B(C(6)F(5))(3) to give oxahomofullerene. Mechanistic investigation indicates that the hydroxyl group in the central pentagon ring is essential to convert the tert-butylperoxo group into a ketal moiety. Migration of the silyl group and transformation of the siloxy group into a phenyl group are observed in the deprotection of the fullerene bound siloxy group. A 12-membered open-cage fullerendione was obtained through oxidation of a [6,6]-fullerendiol. This orifice could be closed to form ketal/hemiketal moieties by BF(3)-catalyzed reaction with methanol. All of the new fullerene derivatives were characterized by spectroscopic data, and structure of the open-cage fullerendione was also confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis.     

Efficient synthesis of open-cage fullerene derivatives having 16-membered-ring orifices

The synthesis of 10 new open-cage fullerene derivatives with a 16-membered-ring orifice is being reported. These compounds, derived from the regioselective addition reaction of an aromatic hydrazine or hydrazone to isomeric diketone derivatives of C(60), were isolated in moderate to excellent yields.     

Synthesis,electrochemistry, and photophysical properties of pyrazolino[60]fullerene–1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent derivatives

A series of pyrazolino[60]fullerene–1,8-naphthalimide (Pz[60]–NI) fluorescent derivatives were synthesized in one pot by a [3+2] dipolar cycloaddition between C₆₀ and functionalized hydrazones in good yield. In contrast with 4-aziridino[60]fullerene–1,8-naphtalimide dyads, Pz[60]–NI derivatives present stronger fluorescence intensity. Electrochemical study revealed that Pz[60]–NI presents better electron accepting character than the parent C₆₀. The natural bond orbital of the dyads were calculated using density functional theory method and found that the sp3 nitrogen atom in the pyrazoline ring plays a key role in the charge transfer process.     

Synthesis and properties of endohedral C60 encapsulating molecular hydrogen

We report the details of our study to synthesize a new endohedral fullerene, H2@C60, in more than 100 mg quantities by closure of the 13-membered ring orifice of an open-cage fullerene using four-step organic reactions. The 13-membered ring orifice in a previously synthesized open-cage fullerene incorporating hydrogen in 100% yield was reduced to a 12-membered ring by extrusion of a sulfur atom at the rim of the orifice, and the ring was further reduced into an eight-membered ring by reductive coupling of two carbonyl groups also at the orifice. Final closure of the orifice was completed by a thermal reaction. Purification of H2@C60 was accomplished by recycle HPLC. A gradual downfield shift of the NMR signal for the encapsulated hydrogen observed upon reduction of the orifice size was interpreted based on the gauge-independent atomic orbital (GIAO) and the nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations. The spectral as well as electrochemical examination of the properties of H2@C60 has shown that the electronic interaction between the encapsulated hydrogen and outer C60 pi-system is quite small but becomes appreciable when the outer pi-system acquires more than three extra electrons. Four kinds of exohedral derivatives of H2@C60 were synthesized. The tendency in the shift of the NMR signal of the inner hydrogen was found to be quite similar to that observed for the 3He NMR signal of the corresponding derivatives of 3He@C60.     

Preparation of [5,6]- and [6,6]-oxahomofullerene derivatives and their interconversion by Lewis acid assisted reactions of fullerene mixed peroxides

[60]Fullerene mixed peroxides C60(O)(OOtBu)4 exhibit chemo- and regioselective reactions under mild conditions. The epoxy moiety is opened by ferric chloride to form vicinal hydroxy chloride C60Cl(OH)(OOtBu)4. BF3 is also effective in opening the epoxy moiety. The O-O bond of the fullerene mixed peroxide is cleaved by aluminum chloride to form both [5,6]- and [6,6]-fullerene hemiketals (oxohomo[60]fullerenes). A Hock-type rearrangement is proposed for the formation of the hemiketals, in which a fullerene C-C bond is cleaved. Lewis acids and/or visible light can initiate isomerization of the hemiketal isomers. Single-crystal X-ray analysis and theoretical calculations confirmed the results.     

Exploring the photoinduced electron transfer reactivity of aza[60]fullerene iminium cation

Photolysis of (C₅₉N)₂ solutions in the presence of neutral π-donors, such as arenes and electron-rich alkenes leads to a series of novel aza[60]fullerene monoadducts. The key step of the reaction involves a photoinduced electron transfer from the donor molecule to the iminium cation of aza[60]fullerene, followed by radical coupling of the resulting aza[60]fullerenyl radical with an intermediate stabilized radical derived from the substrate. This type of reactivity has been proven efficient with arenes having oxidation potential higher than about 1.5 V. Simple olefins, such as tri- and tetra-methylethylene, as well as cyclohexene, can also participate in this kind of photoinduced electron transfer-initiated reaction with C₅₉N⁺, affording the corresponding aza[60]fullerene derivatives. In the case of 2-methoxyprop-1-ene, 2,4-hexadiene, and β,β-dimethylstyrene, [2+2] cycloaddition reactions with the aza[60]fullerene carbon shell dominate, leading to a mixture of unidentified multiadducts.     

The reaction of fullerene C(60) with 4,6-dimethyl-1,2,3-triazine: formation of an open-cage fullerene derivative.

A thermal reaction of fullerene C(60) with 4,6-dimethyl-1,2,3-triazine (4) in o-dichlorobenzene gave azacyclohexadiene-fused fullerene derivative 5, by the reaction with intermediate azete 11, and then, after flash chromatography over SiO(2), open-cage fullerene derivative 6 having an eight-membered ring orifice on the C(60) cage. Compound 6 is assumed to be formed via addition of diradical intermediate 13 to C(60). Compound 6 underwent a further photochemical reaction with singlet oxygen with the cleavage of one of the double bonds at the rim of the orifice to afford triketone derivative 8 having a 12-membered ring orifice.     

A bowl-shaped fullerene encapsulates a water into the cage

The sequential carbon-carbon bond cleaving reactions of the diketone derivative of C60 with o-phenylenediamine give a novel bowl-shaped fullerene bearing a 20-membered ring orifice. The product reversibly encapsulates a water molecule into the fullerene cage for the first time.     

Unexpected switch in regioselectivity of tether-directed Bingel-type biscyclopropanations depending on the leaving groups at tethered active ethylene moieties

The regioselectivity of tether-directed Bingel-type biscyclopropanations of [60]fullerene was switched depending on the leaving groups at tethered active methylene moieties; the reactions of [60]fullerene with unhalogenated tethered bis(active methylene) derivatives/I2 and with brominated derivatives in the presence of 1,7-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene gave trans-4-adducts predominantly, while the reactions with chlorinated derivatives afforded equatorial-adducts almost exclusively.     

Sequential Pd2(dba)3 participated C–C bond cleavage of O-bromophenyl cyclobutanones/Michael addition en route to benzospirones

A tandem Pd₂(dba)₃ participated C–C bond cleavage of O-bromophenyl cyclobutanone derivatives/Michael addition reaction sequence was realized. We disclosed the first intramolecular C–Br bond triggered ring opening reaction of arylcyclobutanones, distinct from related reports in which the reactions were initiated by arylboron, silane or unsaturated chemical motifs, among others. The in situ generated palladium species underwent ring expansion process leading to methyleneindanones, which further reacted with dba to provide benzospirones in one step.     

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.