60]fullerenoacetyl chloride as a versatile precursor for fullerene derivatives: efficient ester formation with various alcohols

reaction: see text] 60]Fullerenoacetyl chloride, one of the reactive derivatives of 60]fullerenoacetic acid, was isolated and identified for the first time. This acid chloride was easily synthesized in good yield from tert-butyl 60]fullerenoacetate through two steps. In the presence of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine as a base, the acid chloride smoothly reacted with various alcohols under mild conditions to give the corresponding esters including 60]fullerene-biomolecule hybrids in moderate to high yields.