Phenylamine Analogous Adducts of C60

Abstract

Reaction conditions leading to efficient nitration of the C₆₀ molecules for the production of nearly pure hexanitro[60]fullerenes using gaseous nitrogen dioxide as the nitration agent were developed. Approach of utilizing hexanitrofullerene as a reactive precursor molecule in the preparation of organic derivatives of C₆₀ demonstrated a versatile alternative synthetic method for indirect fullerene functionalization. Fullerenic nitro functions were found to be excellent leaving groups opt for replacement by nucleophilic substituents, such as phenylamine and oligophenylamines.