Octaalkoxyfullerenes: Widely LUMO-Tunable C2v-Symmetric Fullerene Derivatives

C2v-Symmetric octaalkoxyfullerenes, C60(OR)8 (R = CH3, C2H5, CH2CF3), were synthesized by reacting octabromofullerene with the corresponding alcohols in the presence of AgBF4. The reactions occurred with no change in the addition pattern, and the compounds were unambiguously characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray structure analysis. Electrochemical measurements revealed not only that these derivatives have stable redox properties but also that their LUMO levels can be tuned over a very wide range.