Photolysis of Dialkoxy Disulfides: A Convenient Source of Alkoxy Radicals for Addition to the Sphere of Fullerene C₆₀

Abstract

Photolysis of dialkoxy disulfides ROSSOR (R = Me, Et, i-Pr, t-Bu, i-PrCH2, t-BuCH2) yields the radicals RO•, ROS•, and ROS•O that were identified on the basis of product analysis and spin trapping techniques. It has been shown that only the alkoxy radicals RO•, produced from ROSSOR, add to the sphere of fullerene C60 in steady state conditions to yield the RO−C60• adducts which can be detected by ESR spectroscopy. The different trend of the hydrogen splitting constants in the RO−C60• with respect to the corresponding RS−C60• adducts previously reported has been interpreted as a consequence of the different C−O and C−S bond lengths.