Degradation of the covalent carbon–carbon bond between fullerene‐C 60 and poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene)

The degradation of fullerene‐C 60 (C 60 ) end‐capped poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene) (C 60 ‐PCHD) with 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone (DDQ) was examined to reveal the nature of the covalent carbon–carbon bond between C 60 and PCHD (C 60 ‐PCHD bond). The number average molecular weight ( M n ) of C 60 ‐PCHD decreased with an increase in the degree of dehydrogenation, and the elimination of a PCHD arm from a C 60 occurred. The degradation of the C 60 ‐PCHD bond via a 1,4‐CHD unit was faster than that via a 1,2‐CHD unit, whereas the C 60 ‐poly(cyclohexane) bond was stable. The degradation of the C 60 ‐PCHD bond with DDQ was caused by the dehydrogenation of a CHD unit adjoining a C 60 core. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010