Grafting of polyacetylene onto C60 using charged nucleophiles

Two methods to attach polyacetylene (PA) chains onto C60 are described. The first method, called ‘arm first’, is based on the addition of ‘living’ poly(phenylvinylsulfoxide) (PPVS), a soluble precursor for PA, onto a double bond of C60. Up to three PA(exPPVS) or PS-b-PA(exPPVS) can be thus attached to the fullerene. The second method called ‘in-out’ is based on the ability of alkaline salts of grafted fullerenes to initiate anionic polymerization of phenylvinylsulfoxide (PVS). This procedure allowed us to add PA(exPPVS) chains onto C60 adducts bearing at least four chains and four carbanions.