Synthesis and solubility properties of amine‐functionalized fulleropyrrolidines in organic solvents

Abstract

In this study, we prepared amine‐functionalized fullerene derivatives by using methylene blue (MB)‐sensitized photoaddition reactions of fullerene C60 with a variety of α‐silyl group containing N‐alkylglycinates through 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition reactions of in situ formed azomethine ylide, derived from glycinates, to fullerene C60 and examined their solubility properties in several organic solvents. The results showed that although it was hard to find a clear correlation between the solvent solubility of and N‐substituents of fullereopyrrolidines, the solubility of functionalized fullerene derivatives in organic solvents such as toluene, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) was much higher than that of C60 and in addition, the solubility properties of fullereopyrrolidines can be manipulated by incorporating diverse organic moieties into fullerene surface.