Understanding of thermo-gravimetric analysis to calculate number of addends in multifunctional hemi-ortho ester derivatives of fullerenol

Test results for the applicability of existing thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) technique to ascertain average number of exohedral chemical attachment in a new class of fullerene dyads consisting of multiple hemi-ortho esters onto fullerenol is presented. Although the method is nicely applicable for higher fullerenol, but homogeneous phase products calculate lower number of addends, whereas, the hetero phase products indicate higher value. Lower value is attributed to either overlapping of thermal events or substituents effects and higher value is the contribution of tetra butyl ammonium hydroxide (TBAH) impurity used as phase transfer catalyst (PTC) in heterogeneous phase reactions. Presence of TBAH impurity is recognized through thermo-gravimetry mass spectrometry (TG-MS) measurement. Appropriate modification of test method to arrive at accurate and precise values of x (total mass contribution due to addends only) and y (total mass contribution due to fullerene plus char yield) are also reported. Successful use of two more different techniques, viz., electron-spray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), supplement above results. Influences of fullerene and different substituents on thermal behavior of dyads are assessed.