Synthesis and characterization of fullerene-pyridyl arene ruthenium complexes

Association of [60]fullerene with arene ruthenium moieties has been achieved for the first time. Two fullerenopyrrolidine derivatives (<i>N</i>_pyr-C₆₀) were synthesized <i>via</i> a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, and coordinated to arene ruthenium complexes to form two half-sandwich complexes of the general formula (<i>p</i>-cymene)RuCl₂(<i>N</i>_pyr-C₆₀). The coordination of the fullerenopyrrolidines to the arene ruthenium unit was evidenced by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, thus confirming the formation of these novel arene ruthenium complexes.