Trifluoromethylation of fullerenes: kinetic and thermodynamic control

We present a survey and theoretical interpretation of the experimental results on trifluoromethylation of fullerenes. A thermodynamic model has been developed to describe the C60/70(CF3)n condensed phase mixtures capable of free exchange of addends and, consequently, of isomerization and changing the degrees of addition. It was found that the purely thermodynamic model affords at least satisfactory prediction of composition of products even for apparently nonequilibrium syntheses. Special cases can be identified by means of detailed kinetic modeling based on the BEP approach, which includes stepwise energetic analysis of the possible trifluoromethylation sequences. This analysis reveals two types of reactions with remarkable difference in rates: direct trifluoromethylation and rearrangements of the CF3 groups. Whenever a particular group of compounds is interrelated through direct addition/abstraction of CF3 groups, it is more or less safe to assume that the said group is in equilibrium describable by the thermodynamic model. In the same time, the slower migration of addends is controlled kinetically, and interference of the sublimation processes frequently prevents its equilibration. Among the most illustrative examples of hindered formation via rearrangements in absence of sufficiently favorable direct trifluoromethylation pathways are certain isomers of the C3v-C60(CF3)18, C70(CF3)18, and C70(CF3)20 compounds.