Enantiospecific cis-trans isomerization in chiral fulleropyrrolidines: hydrogen-bonding assistance in the carbanion stabilization in H2O@C60

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 Jan 28;137(3):1190-7. doi: 10.1021/ja5108854. Epub 2015 Jan 17.

Abstract

The stereochemical outcome of cis-trans isomerization of optically pure [60], [70], and endohedral H2O@C60 fulleropyrrolidines reveals that the electronic nature of substituents, fullerene size, and surprisingly the incarcerated water molecule plays a crucial role in this rearrangement process. Theoretical DFT calculations are in very good agreement with the experimental findings. On the basis of the experimental results and computational calculations, a plausible reaction mechanism involving the hydrogen-bonding assistance of the inner water molecule in the carbanion stabilization of endofullerene is proposed.