electrogeneration and characterization of (C₆H₅CH₂)₂C₇₀

(C₆H₅CH₂)₂C₇₀ ^2- was electrosynthesized from C₇₀^2- and C₆H₅CH₂Br and purified by HPLC. Mass spectral results for the largest HPLC fraction confirm formation of the compound, while ^inf1H NMR spectroscopy suggests that three isomers are present in this fraction, all of which are 1,4-addition products. The isomers are proposed to be the 22,25-, 22,41-, and 22,45-isomers on the basis of ¹H NMR data and the fact that bulky benzyl groups on C₆₀ form preferentially 1,4- rather than 1,2-addition products. (C₆H₅CH₂)₂C₇₀ was examined as to its electrochemical properties, and two sets of reduction processes were observed, one of which is assigned to the 22,25- and 22,41-isomers that exhibit identical electrochemical properties and the other to the 22,45-isomer of (C₆H₅CH₂)₂C₇₀. The vis-near-lR spectrum of (C₆H₅CH₂)₂C70^̇- in benzonitrile shows a strong band at 776 nm which is not seen for C₇₀^̇- as well as two more bands in the near-IR region (1062 and 1250 nm) which are blue-shifted with respect to the near-IR absorption band of C₇₀^̇- that appears at 1368 nm.