3He NMR as a sensitive probe of fullerene reactivity: [2 + 2] photocycloaddition of 3-methyl-2-cyclohexenone to C70.

The [2 + 2] photoadditions of 3-methyl-2-cyclohexenone to C70 and 3He@C70 have been studied by a combination of HPLC chromatography and FAB-MS, as well as IR and 1H and 3He NMR spectroscopies. The total yield of the mixture of monoadducts was 55% (67% on the basis of the recovered C70). The use of 3He NMR was especially powerful in determining the regioselectivity of the photoaddition reaction of enone to C70.