EFFICIENT ONE-FLASK SYNTHESIS OF WATER-SOLUBLE [60]FULLERENOLS

C-60 molecule exhibited high reactivity towards the addition reaction of nitrogen dioxide radicals (. NO2), which were generated by reaction of sodium nitrite with cone. HNO3. This chemical functionalization of C-60 resulted in polynitro fullerenes, C-60(NO2)(n). Hydrolysis of po lynitro fullerenes in aqueous NaOH gave the corresponding polyhydroxyl ated fullerene derivatives (fullerenols) in moderate overall yields. R esults from mass spectra (FAB, negative ion) of fullerenols indicated their structure as C-60 derivatives with at least 16 hydroxy groups. ( C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd