Treatment of fullerenes with reducing metals and a proton source leads to the formation of hydrogenated fullerenes (C60H n and C70H n ). The reaction of C60 with a variety of metals was investigated, using metals that span a broad range of reducing power, from tin (E° = −0.14 V) to magnesium (E° = −2.36 V). We report useful synthetic routes to a number of reduced fullerenes, including C60H2, C60H4, and C60H6, and we have determined that, despite the huge number of isomers that are possible, a small number are actually formed in these cases. For example, only two isomers of C60H6 are obtained in the Zn(Cu) reduction of C60, in a 6:1 ratio. Three isomers of C70H10 are produced, in ratios that are dependent on reaction time.

13C NMR chemical shift assignments for 1,2-C60H2 (1) and a series of 13C-labeled fullerene derivatives with three-, four-, and five-membered annulated rings (2-4) were assigned using 2D INADEQUATE spectroscopy and examined for trends that correspond to the changes in strain in the fullerene cage. Chemical shifts of equivalent carbons from 1-4 show that eight carbons trend downfield (carbons 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17) and the remaining six carbons (4, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14) trend upfield with increasing ring size. While the average chemical shift is nearly constant, the dispersion is greatest when the local strain is the least, in 1,2-C60H2 (1). 13C chemical shifts are not well correlated with trends in ring size, with strain as measured by the pyramidalization angle of nearby carbons, or with the geometry of the fullerene cage. We interpret the results as evidence that subtle geometrical changes lead to modulation of the strength of ring currents near the site of addition and, in turn, the magnetic field generated by these ring currents affects the chemical shift of carbons on the far side of the fullerene core. These results highlight ring currents as being critically important to the determination of 13C chemical shifts in fullerene derivatives.

The hydrofullerenes C(60)H(2) (1) and C(60)H(6) (2) have been prepared in (13)C-enriched form and 2D INADEQUATE NMR spectra were measured. These spectra have provided unambiguous (13)C assignments for 2, and nearly unambiguous assignments for 1. In both cases, the most downfield resonances are immediately adjacent to the sp(3) carbons, despite the fact that these carbons are the least pyramidalized carbons in the molecule. Typically, (13)C chemical shifts move downfield with increasing pyramidalization (THETA(p)), but in these systems there is no strong correlation between THETA(p) and delta. HF-GIAO calculations are able to predict the chemical shifts, but provide little chemical insight into the origin of these chemical shifts. London theory reveals a significant paramagnetic ring current in 1, a feature that helps explain the (1)H shifts in these compounds and may contribute to the (13)C chemical shifts as well.

The fulleride dianions C(60)(2-) and C(70)(2-) were generated by deprotonation of the corresponding hydrogenated fullerenes, 1,2-C(60)H(2) and 1,2-C(70)H(2). 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.