Development of the method of alkylation of C_<60> by way of alkylfullerenyl cation

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We found that fullerene C_<60> undergoes electrophilic addition when treated with a large excess of AlCl_3 in chloroalkanes (RCl), giving adducts RC_<60>-Cl in good yields. The intermediate, alkylfullerenyl cations (RC_<60>^+), could be generated as long-likved ions by dissolving fullerenols (RC_<60>OH) in strong acids such as CF_3SO_3H and H_2SO_4. These cations were observed by NMR and vis/NIR spectra as long-lived species. The ^<13>C NMR spectra indicated that the positive charge is located mainly on C-2, and the structure has C_s symmetry. The chemical shift of the cationic center (175-180 ppm) suggested a weak coordination of chlorine atom(s) in the group R to the cationic center.Cations RC_<60>^+ could be also generated in situ by the abstraction of a chloride ion from chlorides RC_<60-> Cl with AlCl_3. When the reactions were carried out in anisole, nucleophilic addition of a solvent molecule to RC_<60>^+ occurred, giving the corresponding adducts RC_<60>-C_6H_4OCH_3-p. The chloride ion can be also abstracted by AgBF_4. With this reagent the reaction could be carried out in alcohols (R'OH), giving the corresponding ethers RC_<60>-OR' in good yiels.Chlorides RC_<60>-Cl (R=chloroalkyl) were found to undergo solvolysis in anisole-trifluoroethanol mixed solvent (1:9 v/v) to give S_N1 reaction products, RC_<60>-Y(Y=p-anisyl and trifluoroethoxy). The free energies of activation (24-25 kcal/mol at 25℃) were only slightly lower than that for the tert-butyl chloride, indicating that cations RC_<60>^+ have stabilities close to that of the tert-butyl cation.The pK_R^+ values of cations RC_<60>^+ were also determined from the equilibrium constants for the ionization of the corresponding fullerenols. The obtained values are comparable to the pK_R+ of the tert-butyl cation. Thsi result also support the similarity in stability between RC_<60>^+ and the tert-butyl cation.