ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION IN FULLERENE DIMERS - ELECTROCHEMICAL AND ELECTRON-PARAMAGNETIC-RESONANCE STUDY OF THE REDUCTION OF C120O

Cyclic voltammetry (cv) and differential pulse voltammetry (dpv) studi es of C120O reveal that this bis(fullerene) undergoes six sequential, one-electron reductions to form the ions [C120O](n-) where n is -1 to -6. The first two reductions of C120O occur at potentials that are clo se to that for the reduction of C-60 to [C-60](-) and it appears that the two electrons are added successively to each of the two fullerene cages. Similarly, the second two reductions of C120O occur at potentia ls that are close to the reduction potential for the conversion of [C- 60](-) to [C-60](2-). Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra have bee n observed for both [C120O](2-) and [C120O](4-). For [C120O](2-) the E PR spectrum in o-dichlorobenzene at 77 K consists of a doublet-like fe ature (g = 2.0016) that is surrounded by features characteristic of a triplet state (g = 2.0030). It is concluded that for [C120O](2-) the s pectrum indicates that there is significant interaction between the tw o electrons that have been added to the fullerene and that the species is not a diradical.