Hydrogenation of cage-opened C 60 derivatives mediated by frustrated Lewis pairs.

Multiply-carbonylated fullerene derivatives were found to work as one component in frustrated Lewis pairs which caused an Si-H bond activation in the presence of B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 , leading to the carbonyl hydrogenation in up to 99% yield. The Lewis acid-mediated reductive arylation also took place to furnish a corresponding ketal derivative.