One-step Synthesis of Water-soluble Fullerenols Bearing Nitrogen-containing Substituents

We found a facile one-step synthetic method for water-soluble fullerenols bearing 8-16 nitrogen-containing substituents as well as more than 16 hydroxyl groups from commercially available C60 as a starting material. The water solubility of one of the products showed the same as the highest one reported (200mg/mL). Other fullerenols bearing hydrogen or diethylamino group on the same fullerene cage were also synthesized by the modified method using hydrogen peroxide as a simple hydroxylation reagent.