Predicting efficient C(60) epoxidation and viable multiple oxide formation by theoretical study

The epoxidation of C(60) by various oxidizing agents such as dimethyldioxirane (DMD), methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane (MTMD), and bis(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane (BTMD) has been probed computationally by the AM1 method. The computations have revealed that for the reaction forming C(60)O through a concerted "spiro" transition state, the currently used DMD involves its HOMO lone-pair and the LUMO (pi) of fullerene in an inverse electron demand fashion. This is distinct from the DMD reaction with ethylene. On the other hand, the addition of CF(3) groups lowers the LUMO (peroxide sigma) of MTMD and BTMD by virtue of negative hyperconjugation; the oxidants can then attack the fullerene nucleophilically at an increased rate to the maximum extent. These estimations have thus established that the strong electrophilic oxidizing agents remarkably enhance the fullerene epoxidation. DMD further produces C(60)O(2) and C(60)O(3) via multiple epoxidations, as C(60)O might best be produced quantitatively by MTMD and BTMD. The regiochemistry of the multiple oxidation products in which the subsequent oxidations take place at the adjacent sites is consistent with the increased nucleophilicity of the nearest double bonds attached to the prevailing epoxide function.