A catalytic method for the selective and efficient synthesis of cycloalkylidenehomofullerenes by cycloaddition of [60]fullerene to diazocycloalkanes generated in situ from the corresponding hydrazones in the presence of a complex catalytic system [Pd(acac) 2 -PPh 3 -Et 3 Al] has been developed.Despite the fact that homofullerenes are formed under kinetic control and methanofullerenes are more thermally stable products of the reaction of [60]fullerene with diazo compounds, the isolation of 5,6 open adducts in the indi vidual state is practically impossible. The only exceptions are the synthesis of homofullerenes by cycloaddition of diazomethane and other diazo compounds, which were generated in situ from the salts of the corresponding tosylhydrazones, to [60]fullerene. 1-6 The significant disadvantages of the known synthetic methods towards homofullerenes are low selectivity, 3-6 high sensitivity to changes in the temperature and the reaction time and low yields of the target cycloadducts.Recently, 7-9 we have reported the selective synthesis of homo and methanofullerenes in high yields by cyclo addition of diazomethane, 7 diazoalkanes, 8 and diazo acetates 9 to [60]fullerene in the presence of the palladium complexes. This reaction carried out in the presence of Pd(acac) 2 -PPh 3 -AlEt 3 (1 : 4 : 4) at 80 °C furnished ex clusively thermodynamically more stable 6,6 closed cyclo adducts (methanofullerenes). In continuation of this research, and with aim at studying the possibility of the synthesis of spirohomo and spiromethanofullerenes, in the present work we investigated cycloaddition of diazocycloalkanes, which were generated in situ by oxidation of the corresponding ketone hydrazones employing the known procedure, 10-12 to [60]fullerene in the presence of the complex catalyst Pd(acac) 2 -PPh 3 -Et 3 Al. The effect of the size of the cycle in starting diazo compound on the yield and selectivity of mono and dicycloaddition has also been studied.
Results and DiscussionA three component catalyst prepared from Pd(acac) 2 , PPh 3 and Et 3 Al in a 1 : 2 : 4 ratio, respectively, turned out to be particularly efficient in the reactions of [60]fullerene with diazocycloalkanes and substituted diazomethanes. In this regard, all subsequent experiments were carried out using this catalytic system.It has been found* that the reaction of [60]fullerene with diazocyclopentane, which was generated in situ by oxidation of cyclopentanone hydrazone with MnO 2 (1 : 1.5 molar ratio), in the presence of a three compo nent catalyst Pd(acac) 2 -PPh 3 -Et 3 Al (1 : 2 : 4, 20 mol.%) at ~20 °C (1.5 h, toluene) resulted exclusively in spiro homofullerene 1 in ~70% yield (Scheme 1). Probably, the * Here and elsewhere the yields are given on the amount of the starting [60]fullerene used in the reactions.
Scheme 1Reagents and conditions: Pd(acac) 2 : PPh 3 : Et 3 Al = 1 : 2 : 4, MnO 2 , 20 °C, 1.5 h.