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.