Photochemical Bissilylation of C60 with Disilane1

The photochemical reaction of C60 with disilane 1 affords the adduct 2 as a bissilylated product. The unique redox properties of 2 are reported by means of differential pulse voltammetry. The compound 2 was characterized by NMR, IR, and UV−vis spectroscopies. Spectroscopic and theoretical investigation strongly support the 1,16-addition structure having C2 symmetry which results from addition at the 1,16 positions in C60. The results are reasonably accounted for by the generation of a silyl radical which is responsible for the formation of 2.