Decatungstate-Mediated Radical Reactions of C₆₀ with Substituted Toluenes and Anisoles:  A New Photochemical Functionalization Strategy for Fullerenes

A convenient, highly efficient, decatungstate-mediated chemical methodology to functionalize fullerenes is demonstrated. A variety of radicals have been generated by the photochemical interaction of tetrabutylammonium decatungstate [(n-Bu4N)4W10O32] and para-substituted toluenes, anisoles, and thioanisole and effectively trapped by the [60]fullerene affording the corresponding 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerene monoadducts in moderate to good yields.