Pentaorgano[60]fullerene R5C60-. A Water Soluble Hydrocarbon Anion.

A new class of hydrocarbon anions, pentaaryl- and pentamethylfullerene anions R5C60− (R = Ph, 4-BuC6H4, 4-PhC6H4, Me) was found to be stable and soluble in water. Atomic force microscopic observation and dynamic light scattering measurements indicated that the potassium salt Ph5C60K in water forms spherical aggregates with an averaged radius of about 17 nm.