Synthesis, Structure, and Theoretical Study of Lower Trifluoromethyl Derivatives of [60]Fullerene

A number of C60(CF3)n compounds with n = 2–10 have been synthesized by the reaction of C60 with silver trifluoroacetate and successfully isolated by means of HPLC. This resulted in the first crystal structure determination of six lower trifluoromethyl derivatives with n = 2 (single isomer), 4 (two isomers), and 6 (three isomers). A kinetic model of sequential trifluoromethylation based on the Bell–Evans–Polanyi principle has been used to explain the experimentally observed isomeric distribution in the mixtures of C60(CF3)n compounds up ton = 6. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)