PHOTOCHEMICAL-REACTION OF FURANS IN THE PRESENCE OF [60] FULLERENE

The first evidence was presented which supports a photochemical pathwa y during tile reaction of furan derivatives in the presence of C-60, w hich was formerly believed to proceed via a thermal [2+4]-concerted cy cloaddition reaction of furans with C-60. LD-TOF-MS, UV-vis, FT-IR and H-1-, C-13-NMR spectra showed that the products were polymers of the furan derivatives and C60Ox. The reaction proceeded under visible ligh t but not in the dark. This reaction also required a small amount of m olecular oxygen. A reaction mechanism involving the oxygenation of fur ans by singlet oxygen generated via an excited C-60 was presented.