By reacting 6 PSLi per C-60 molecule, fairly pure star-shaped polymers with
six branches and six carbanions located on the fullerene core are obtained
. Only one of these six carbanions is able to initiate the anionic polymeri
zation of styrene or isoprene leading to well;defined palm tree-like archit
ectures (PSa)(6)C60PSb or (PS)(6)C60PI. At its end, the out-growing chain b
ears a carbanion that has been allowed to react with the coupling agents di
bromo-p-xylene and dibromohexane to produce the dumbbell-like structures, (
PSa)(6)C60PSb-pX-PSbC60(PSa)(6) and (PS)(6)C60PI-Hex-PIC60(PS)(6). If C-60
itself is allowed to react with the "living" palm tree, a third fullerene m
olecule is introduced in the center of the macromolecular architecture.