Driving force dependence of intermolecular electron-transfer reactions of fullerenes

Pulse-radiolytic studies were performed to determine the rate constants of intermolecular electron transfer (k(et)) from fullerenes (C-60, C-76, and C-78) to a series of arene radical cations in dichloromethane. The one-electron oxidation potentials of the employed arenes-corresponding to the one-electron reduction potentials of arene pi-radical cations-were determined in dichloromethane to evaluate the driving forces of electron-transfer oxidation of fullerenes with arene pi-radical cations. The driving force dependence of log k(et) shows a pronounced decrease towards the highly exothermic region, representing the first definitive confirmation of the existence of the Marcus inverted region in a truly intermolecular electron transfer. Electron-transfer reduction of fullerenes with anthracene radical anion was also examined by laser flash photolysis in benzonitrile. The anthracene radical anion was produced by photoinduced electron transfer from 10,10'-dimethyl-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-9,9'-bi-acridine [(AcrH)(2)] to the singlet excited state of anthracene in benzonitrile. The rate constants of electron transfer (k(et)) from anthracene radical anion to C-60, C-70, and a C60 derivative were determined from the decay of anthracene radical anion in the presence of various concentrations of the fullerene. Importantly, a significant decrease in the k(et) value was observed at large driving forces (1.50 eV) as compared to the diffusion-limited value seen at smaller driving forces (0.96 eV). In conclusion, our study presents clear evidence for the Marcus inverted region in both the electron-transfer reduction and oxidation of fullerenes.