Preparation and Characterization of a New Hydrophilic C(60) Derivative (OH)(16)C(60)CHCOOH

C(60) and its derivatives are very important nanomaterials in biological and materials science. Unfortunately, due to the high hydrophobicity of the C(60) cage, most of these materials are insoluble in water and their usages are quitely restricted. Here we reported the preparation and characterization of (OH)(16)C(60)CHCOOH, a new multihydroxylated methanofullerene carboxylic acid (MMFCA) derivative with high aqueous solubility. The elementary analysis, FT-IR and (1)HNMR confirmed the structure of this material. Like other C(60) and its derivatives, this new derivative also contains the free radical scavenging ability, measured by electron spin resonance (ESR) test. On the other hand, the MTT assay showed it had low cytotoxicity. Therefore, this new MMFCA derivative might be a potential vehicle for the introduction of hydrophobic C(60) derivatives into water or a hydrophilic environment.