FORMATION OF HYDRIDES OF FULLERENE-C-60 AND FULLERENE-C-70

Fullerene-C60 and fullerene-C70 have been reduced by various methods t o di- and tetra-hydro derivatives. Reduction by diimide is the most sa tisfactory method with regard to both yield and ease of carrying out o f the reaction. The H-1 NMR chemical shifts are highly solvent depende nt, and are ca. 1 ppm further downfield in carbon disulfide than in be nzene; the shifts for C60Hn compounds are downfield compared with thos e for C70Hn compounds, due possibly to differences in strain between t he cages and/or a field effect operating across the cage void. 1,2,3,4 -Tetrahydrofullerene-C60 is the main product from reduction of fullere ne-C60 with diimide, and all other tetrahydro derivatives that can be produced by addition across the high order bonds appear to be present, together with more highly hydrogenated derivatives. Eight products ar e obtained on diimide reduction of fullerene-C70; two have been charac terised as 1,5,6,9-tetrahydrofullerene-C70 and 1,7,8,9-tetrahydrofulle rene-C70, and two others are the 1,9- and 7,8-dihydrofullerenes obtain ed by reduction with diborane. The other four derivatives may be the o ther tetrahydro isomers which can be obtained by addition across the 1 ,9-bond and its other equivalents. The hydrogenated fullerenes are mor e soluble in carbon disulfide than in either benzene or toluene, thus facilitating observation of the C-13 satellites of 1,2-dihydrofulleren e-60 in the H-1 NMR spectrum. The C-H and H-H coupling constants are 1 41.2 and 15.7 Hz respectively; a C-13-C-12 isotope shift of -17 ppb is also observed. Coupling constants for interhexagon (6:5) bonds range from 9.3-9.8 Hz, whilst those for interpentagon (6:6) bonds range from 13.9-16.3 Hz. The latter are exceptionally large, and the differentia tion between the two types should prove a valuable aid in structure de termination of hydrogenated fullerenes and derivatives thereof.