[60]fullerene radical cation reactions and mechanism

[60]Fullerene is oxidized to its radical cation at preparative scale by mea ns of photoinduced electron transfer (PET). In general, C-60(.+) reacts wit h various H-donors such as alcohols, aldehydes, ethers etc., under formatio n of 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenes. In case of tert-butanol, propionic acid and glycol, for example, product formation is also initiated by H-abstraction from the OH group. Both time-resolved laser flash photolysis studies and ES R spectroscopic investigations clearly demonstrate the formation of C-60(.) using PET conditions. Upon addition of H-donors such as methanol the sign al of C-60(.+) is quenched as monitored both by laser flash photolysis and ESR spectroscopy. Based on these studies we assume the oxidation of C-60 fo llowed by abstraction of hydrogen from the H-donor.