Triad and cyclic diad compounds of [60]fullerene with metallocenes

Metallocene-bridged [60]fullerene triads and cyclised metallocene-[60]fullerene diads are formed via [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of [60]fullerene with metallocene dialdehyde and an amino acid. In the case of cyclic diads only one regioisomer is formed, as determined by UV-vis and NMR spectroscopic studies. These compounds have both electron donor (metallocene) and acceptor ([60]fullerene) components and give three electrochemically reversible one-electron reductions for each [60]fullerene moiety. For the ferrocene-containing compounds, an electrochemically reversible one-electron oxidation process is observed, with an irreversible oxidation observed for the ruthenocene analogues.