biostudies-literatureUnknown14(1)Wang WF[6,6]-Phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), a star molecule in the fullerene field, has found wide applications in materials science. Herein, electrosynthesis of buckyballs with fused-ring systems has been achieved through radical α-C-H functionalization of the side-chain ester for both PCBM and its analogue, [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-propionic acid methyl ester (PCPM), in the presence of a trace amount of oxygen. Two classes of buckyballs with fused bi- and tricyclic carbocycles have been electrochemically synthesized. Furthermore, an unknown type of a bisfulleroid with two tethered [6,6]-open orifices can also be efficiently generated from PCPM. All three types of products have been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. A representative intramolecularly annulated isomer of PCBM has been applied as an additive to inverted planar perovskite solar cells and boosted a significant enhancement of power conversion efficiency from 15.83% to 17.67%.Nature communications8052https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10697967biostudies-literatureElectrosynthesis of buckyballs with fused-ring systems from PCBM and its analogue.PMC10697967Niu CYin ZCLiu KQWang YSChen MYe SQYao YRWang GWWang WFYang SfalseElectrosynthesis of buckyballs with fused-ring systems from PCBM and its analogue.[6,6]-Phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), a star molecule in the fullerene field, has found wide applications in materials science. Herein, electrosynthesis of buckyballs with fused-ring systems has been achieved through radical α-C-H functionalization of the side-chain ester for both PCBM and its analogue, [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-propionic acid methyl ester (PCPM), in the presence of a trace amount of oxygen. Two classes of buckyballs with fused bi- and tricyclic carbocycles have been electrochemically synthesized. Furthermore, an unknown type of a bisfulleroid with two tethered [6,6]-open orifices can also be efficiently generated from PCPM. All three types of products have been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. A representative intramolecularly annulated isomer of PCBM has been applied as an additive to inverted planar perovskite solar cells and boosted a significant enhancement of power conversion efficiency from 15.83% to 17.67%.2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Dec2025-04-05T13:02:37.876Z2025-04-05T13:02:37.876ZS-EPMC106979673805278310.1038/s41467-023-43774-2