Electrophilic aromatic substitution by the fluorofullerene C60F18.

The FeCl3-catalysed arylation of C60F18 gives tri-substituted compounds C60F15Ar3, where Ar=phenyl, 4-tolyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-phenoxyphenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, 3,4-dichlorophenyl, 2-biphylenyl and 2-fluorenyl, together with some bis- and mono-substituted product. Bis-substitution was achieved with biphenylene and fluoranthene, and mono-substitution with biphenylene (2-position), pyrene (1-position), and naphthalene (1- and 2-positions); the tris-phenyl and tris-biphenylene derivatives are fluorescent. The 2-naphthyl substituent freely rotates at 328 K, whereas rotation of the 1-naphthyl substituent is prevented by interaction of the peri-hydrogen atom with fluorine. The 1-naphthyl derivative eliminates a molecule of HF during EI mass spectrometry, whilst the 2-naphthyl derivative eliminates HF and all fluorenes to give a naphthaleno[60]fullerene. The reaction rate is relatively unaffected by electron supply in the aryl rings, but no product was obtained with benzotrifluoride which defines the lower reactivity limit. The low discrimination between aromatics makes it possible to isolate derivatives having different aryl groups attached to the cage. Reactions occur mainly when the reagent solutions (or solutions in 1,2-dichlorobenzene) are evaporated to dryness. In most FeCl3-catalysed reactions, unreacted C60F18 was recovered, more if the less effective SnCl4 was used as a catalyst; use of AlCl3 resulted in polyarylation and degradation of the C60F18. The structure of C60F17(1-biphenylyl) was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Reaction of C60F18 with perylene/FeCl3/o-dichlorobenzene gave red fluorescent "tagliatelli"-like threads (up to 1 cm long) of self-assembled pi-stacked tetrachloroperylene arising from chlorination by FeCl3.

Design and synthesis of multi-component 18 pi annulenic fluorofullerene ensembles suitable for donor-acceptor applications.

A series of trannulene (all-trans annulene) derivatives of [60]fullerene have been prepared by reacting C(60)F(18) with methanetricarboxylate esters that incorporate a range of photoactive functions. All the compounds have the intense emerald-green colour of fullerene trannulenes, characterised by strong bands at ca. 612 and 667 nm. Single crystal X-ray studies show that the packing varies with the nature of the addend, attributable to differing steric effects. UV/vis absorption spectra display transitions of the respective fullerene and addend models, indicating absence of electronic interactions between them in the ground state. These now provide an extensive series for testing photoactive (light-harvesting) properties, with the exceptional properties of having strong visible light absorption. Their exceptional stability is attributed to the 18[small pi] aromatic circuit, inability to undergo nucleophilic substitution without disrupting this circuit, and a curved cage region that is shielded to reagents by the three bulky addends.

Formation of novel sulfur-containing C60F16 cycloadducts between tetrathiafulvalene and C60F18; a unique six-electron cycloaddition of a fullerene involving F2 loss.

Co-evaporation of solutions of C(60)F(18) and tetrathiafulvalene in toluene produces an unsymmetrical C(60)F(16):tetrathiafulvalene adduct through a unique six-electron cycloaddition involving displacement of two fluorine atoms by a terminal Cdbond;C double bond of the fulvalene. The adduct rearranges into two further adducts, one of which is characterised as a new type of fullerene derivative, a thiiranofullerene, formed by elimination of a thioketene moiety from the tetrathiafulvalene adduct. The initial addition also produces a bisadduct in which the addends comprise one tetrathiafulvalene molecule and one in which carbon disulfide has been eliminated. The latter adduct involves cycloaddition of an unsaturated aromatic dithiolactone moiety.

A light-harvesting fluorinated fullerene donor-acceptor ensemble; long-lived charge separation.

In a first example of a trannulene-based donor-acceptor dyad visible light photoexcitation generates a long-lived (870 ns) charge-separated state.