C120O2: The first [60]fullerene dimer with cages bis-linked by furanoid bridges

C 120 O 2 has been prepared, characterised by MALDI–TOF MS, UV–VIS, FTIR, and shown by 13 C NMR spectroscopy to have C 2v symmetry, the [60]fullerene cages being linked by adjacent furanoid rings; thus the structure has a connecting bridge containing a four-membered ring, reminiscent of that conjectured for the [2 + 2] fullerene cycloadduct.