Photoinduced inter- and intra-molecular electron transfer reactions of [60]fullerene and a tertiary amine. Formation of the cycloadduct N-ethyl-trans-2′,5′-dimethylpyrrolidino[3′,4′:1,2][60]fullerene

The photoreduction of [60]fullerene by triethylamine results in the formation of a cycloadduct N-ethyl-trans-2′, 5′-dimethylpyrrolidino[3′,4′: 1,2][60]fullerene, which is probably due to sequential intermolecular and intramolecular processes and argues strongly for the presence of ion pairs as intermediates in a room temperature toluene solution.