Hydrogenation of [Li@C60]PF6: A comparison with fulleranes derived from C60

Abstract A light hydrogenation process involving the dissolution of zinc dust in diluted formic acid was developed to study the early hydrogenation stages of [Li@C60]+PF6 - and C60. The hydrogenation of the two substrates was followed through the electronic absorption spectroscopy and it was found that the metallofullerene reacts with hydrogen at least 2.4 times faster than C60, in line with theoretical expectations which suggest that [Li@C60] is a better free radical acceptor than C60. The key absorption bands of the resulting fulleranes at low degree of hydrogen content were determined and discussed in an astrochemical perspective.