Intramolecular electron transfer in fullerene derivatives with multiple donors

Electronic absorption and emission properties of the fullerene derivatives with multiple electron donors, (N,N-dimethylaniline)N-[60]fullerene (N=0,1,2,4, and 6), were investigated. The results show that there are both ground-state and excited-state electron transfers from the dimethylaniline moiety to the fullerene and that the electron transfers are dependent on the number of intramolecular electron donors on the fullerene cage. The results also show that the absorption and emission properties of these molecules are extremely solvent polarity dependent, consistent with the presence of significant electron transfer processes.