A new exTTF-crown ether platform to associate fullerenes: cooperative n-π and π-π effects

J Am Chem Soc. 2010 Dec 15;132(49):17387-9. doi: 10.1021/ja108744a. Epub 2010 Nov 22.

Abstract

A new and readily available exTTF-bis(crown ether), 1, efficiently recognizes C60 as well as C70 by means of cooperative π-π and n-π interactions. The geometrical (concave-convex) and electronic (donor-acceptor) complementarity accounts on one hand for remarkable binding strengths, with association constants reaching 10(7) M(-1) in benzonitrile, and on the other hand for lifetimes of the photogenerated radical ion pair state on the order of 45 ps.