The falleride dianions C-60(2-) and C-70(2-) were generated by deprotonation of the corresponding hydrogenated fallerenes, 1,2-C60H2 and 1,2-C70H2. These anions were prepared in the presence of a variety of alkylating agents, and mono- or dialkylated products were obtained. Alkylation was not successful with sulfonate ester alkylating agents. Deprotonation of monoalkylated compounds, followed by second alkylation. with a different alkylating agent, produced heterodialkylated compounds. The monoalkyated material was invariably the 1,2-isomers, while the dialkylated materials were generally 1,4-isomers, although some 1,2-isomer was observed in the C-70 context. The major product from alkylation of C-70(2-) was the 7,23-isomer 13a, a structure where the alkylation took place near the equator of the fullerene cage, rather than at the more strained carbons near the poles.
Pyrex-filtered irradiation of C-60 solutions in liquid diphenylmethane in the absence of oxygen is shown to result in Ph,CH. radicals, which further react with the electron-deficient C-60 to give Ph2CH-C60Hn (n = 1, 3, 5). The fullerene ground state to C-3(60) transition is suggested to be accompanied by the increase of the fullerene solvation affecting thus the acidity of methylene hydrogens in Ph2CH2 as well as the feasibility of their dissociation. Also, photolysis of C-60 solutions in weakly acidic phenylacetylene is shown to lead to the addition of a varying number of phenylethinyl groups to the fullerene core. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.