Stepwise Synthesis of Fullerene Cyclopentadienide R5C60- and Indenide R3C60-. An Approach to Fully Unsymmetrically Substituted Derivatives

Abstract
Fullerene cyclopentadienide (PhCH2)2Ph3C60- and indenide (PhCH2)2PhC60-, each bearing two different organic groups, were efficiently synthesized through regioselective reactions of 1,4-(PhCH2)2C60 with an organocopper reagent (PhMgBr/CuBr·SMe2) or a Grignard reagent (PhMgBr) followed by deprotonation with KOtBu.