Fullerene disilirane

The photochemical addition of some cyclic oligosilanes to Ceo has also been found interesting. Scheme 8.8 shows some examples of such a transformation. Irradiation (X > 300 nm) of a toluene solution of disilirane 36 with Ceo afforded the fullerene derivative 37 in a 82% yield [37]. The reaction mechanism is still unknown. When toluene is replaced by benzonitrile the bis-silylated product of the solvent was obtained in good yields. In these experiments a photoinduced electron transfer between 36 and Ceo is demonstrated, indicating the role of Ceo as sensitizer [38]. The photoinduced reactions of disilirane 36 with higher fullerenes such as C70, Cv8(C2v)and CuiDi) have also been reported... 

As part of their studies of reactions between fullerenes and dimetalliranes (Section 1.17.4.5), Ando eta/, determined oxidation potentials for disilirane 34b (-1-0.81 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE)) <19930M1514> and diger-mirane 38a (0.72 V vs. SCE) <19900M2061>. 

When endohedral metallofullerenes which are fullerenes with metal(s) inside the hollow spherical cage are employed, the addition of disilirane to La Cg2 and Gd Cg2 (Eq. 19) occurs in both thermal and photochemical ways [268, 269]. 

---