Radical functionalization of [60]fullerene and its derivatives initiated by the C(CF3)2C6H4F radical

It was found that the 2-(p-fluorophenyl)hexafluoroisopropyl radical produced by thermal dissociation of the Polishchuk dimer [C(CF3)2C6H4F]2 can withdraw, under mild conditions, the H atom from the methyl group of toluene and mesitylene to form the corresponding radicals, whose addition to [60]fullerene occurs more selectively than in the case of photochemical production of these radicals. Dynamics of the step-by-step multiaddition of the radicals to C60 was studied by ESR. It was found that the addition of benzyl radicals affords adducts containing from 3 to 5 benzyl groups, whereas no spin-adducts with five addends were observed for more bulky 3,5-dimethylphenylmethyl radicals. The interaction of 3,5-dimethylphenylmethyl radicals with the metal complexes (η2-C60[IrH(CO)(PPh3)2] and (η2-C60[Pd(PPh3)2] was studied for the first time. It was shown that the palladium derivative undergoes only demetallation. In the case of the Ir complex, up to 3 radicals add to the fullerene ligand in the same hemisphere where the transition metal is coordinated. The reaction rates are ∼5 times lower than those for C60. The ability of 2-(p-fluorophenyl)hexafluoroisopropyl radicals to dehydrogenate C60H36 was found.