Abstract
Benzyl-ether type dendrimers from the first to fourth generations having a fullerene cage as an electroactive core, GnC60H (n = 1–4), were synthesized using convergent methods. All dendrimers were highly soluble in common organic solvents. Their structures in solution were investigated by 1H and 13C NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy and molecular dynamics calculations. The presence of an attractive interaction between the dendrimer moieties and the fullerene cage was proved by an upfield shift of the NMR signals and the appearance of a new absorption in the UV-vis spectra. The electrochemical study indicated that GnC60− (n = 1–4) anions can be electrochemically generated and are further reduced to the trianion stage. Anions GnC60− (n = 1–4) were subjected to chemical one-electron oxidation with iodine and gave new fullerene dimers carrying a dendrimer unit on each fullerene cage.
- This article is part of the themed collection: Functionalised Fullerenes