Fullerene dimers (C60/C70) for energy harvesting.

A new family of fullerene-based compounds, namely, soluble [60]- and [70]fullerene homodimers and the [60]/[70]heterodimer linked through 2-pyrazolino-pyrrolidino bridges, has been synthesised by simple procedures and in high yield. Electrochemical studies confirm their suitability to act as electron acceptors in combination with poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT). Their optical properties in solution and in the solid state were studied.

Competitive retro-cycloaddition reaction in fullerene dimers connected through pyrrolidinopyrazolino rings.

Competitive retro-cycloaddition in [60]- and [70]fullerene homodimers (1a,1c) as well as [60]/[70]heterodimer (1b), linked through 2-pyrazolinopyrrolidino bridges, has been studied by means of HPLC, mass spectrometry, and theoretical calculations at the density functional theory (DFT) level by using the two-layered ONIOM approach. The results of these investigations indicate that the retro-cycloaddition reaction of pyrrolidinofullerenes is favored compared to the retro-cycloaddition reaction of 2-pyrazolinofullerenes in compounds 1a-c. Evidence of the occurrence of this process have been observed both by HPLC and MS-MALDI, these findings being in good agreement with those predicted by theoretical calculations.

Oxidation of 3-alkyl-substituted 2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes: a new formyl-containing building block for fullerene chemistry.

A new building block for fullerene chemistry, endowed with a formyl group on C-3 of the 2-pyrazoline ring, has been prepared in a simple two-step synthesis by oxidation of readily available 3-alkyl-substituted 2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes; the new building block paves the way for the preparation of new light-harvesting fullerenes.