Palm-tree and dumbbell like polystyrene structures based on C-60

By reacting anionic polymers such as polystyryllithium with C-60, "living" hexa-adducts have been prepared and used to initiate the anionic polymeriza tion of vinyl monomers. if styrene is used as the monomer, only one chain i s growing out from the fullerene core producing a "palm-tree" type structur e. The outgrowing chain bearing on its end a carbanion, could be reacted wi th the coupling agent dibromoparaxylene to form "dumbbell" like macromolecu les where two 6 branched PS stars are connected together by a PS chain of c ontrolled length.