Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of Ionic Fullerene Derivatives

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to C generates a family of fullerene derivatives, colloquially termed 60 fulleropyrrolidines. In this paper, we report the synthesis and the electrochemical properties of fulleropyrrolidine and fulleropyrrolidinium ion derivatives. Cyclic voltammetry measurements, performed using ultramicroelectrodes at 2608C with scan rates as high as 50 V/s, allowed, for the first time in fullerene derivatives, the observation of six fullerene-centered reductions. These derivatives also exhibit enhanced electron-accepting properties with respect to both the parent fulleropyrrolidine derivatives and C . Bulk electrolysis carried out at the stage of the first reduction potential, gives rise to a 60 stable zwitterion, with both anion and cation located on the fullerene derivatives