Electrosynthesis of Decorated Basket Molecules: [60]Fullerene-Fused 12-Membered Macrolactones.

The electrosynthesis of decorated basket molecules, that is, [60]fullerene-fused 12-membered macrolactones, has been achieved efficiently for the first time by the electrochemical reduction of [60]fullerene-fused 6-membered lactones and subsequent ring expansion with 1,2-bis(1-bromoalkyl)benzenes. The observed isomeric distributions of the obtained macrolactones are elucidated by theoretical calculations. The product structures have been firmly established by single-crystal X-ray analyses.