Facile Purification of C₆₀O-Containing [60]Fullerene Using Trialkylphosphines at Room Temperature

Abstract

A novel method using trialkylphosphines is reported for the facile purification of [60]fullerene containing C 60 O. When tri-n-butylphosphine and tri-n-octylphosphine were added to unrefined C 60 (ca. 97% purity) in 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, C 60 O was readily reduced to give high-purity C 60 (>99% purity). The best results were obtained for a high concentration (>1.0 wt %) of unrefined fullerene treated with tri-n-octylphosphine at room temperature. This method is simple and fast in comparison with conventional alumina chromatography, and thus, it is well-suited to industrial-scale separation.

Synthesis of C60(O)3: An Open-Cage Fullerene with a Ketolactone Moiety on the Orifice

“…Fullerene epoxide has been reported to react with triphenylphosphine to form C 60 . , The process can be used as an effective way for removing trace amount of C 60 (O) n impurity in the production of C 60 . Heating the ketolactone 6 with PPh 3 at 100° can also remove the oxygen atoms and produce C 60 in low yield (less than 10%).…”