DMAP-Mediated Synthesis of Fulleropyrrolines: Reaction of [60]Fullerene with Aromatic Aldehydes and Arylmethanamines in the Absence or Presence of Manganese(III) Acetate

A series of scarce fulleropyrrolines were synthesized via DMAP-mediated one-step reaction of [60]fullerene with commercially inexpensive aromatic aldehydes and arylmethanamines in the absence or presence of manganese(III) acetate. In the case of aminodiphenylmethane, novel 2,5,5-trisubstituted fulleropyrrolines could be easily obtained without the addition of manganese(III) acetate. As for arylmethanamines without α-substitutions, the addition of manganese(III) acetate was required to suppress the formation of fulleropyrrolidines, in order to generate the desired 2,5-disubstituted fulleropyrrolines. Two tautomers were produced as expected when different aryl groups (Ar¹ ≠ Ar²) from aromatic aldehydes and arylmethanamines were employed in the synthesis. A plausible reaction mechanism for the formation of fulleropyrrolines is proposed.