Palladium-Catalyzed Three-Component Tandem Coupling–Carboannulation Reaction Leading to Polysubstituted [60]Fullerene-Fused Cyclopentanes

The first example of transition-metal catalyzed multicomponent carboannulation of [60]fullerene has been developed. [60]Fullerene, 2-(2,3-allenyl)malonates, and (hetero)aryl iodides undergo a Pd(0)-catalyzed tandem coupling–carboannulation process for regioselective access to novel polysubstituted [60]fullerene-fused cyclopentane derivatives with a wide range of substrate scope and high functional group compatibility. A plausible mechanism involving the formation of a fullerene−π-allylpalladium complex with the characteristic of a fullerene cation as a key intermediate has been proposed.