Electrocatalytic reduction of 1,2-diiodoethane by anions of supramolecular complex of (β-CD)2/C60 in DMF solution

The homogeneous electrocatalytic reduction of 1,2-diiodoethane by anions of the supramolecular complex of (β-CD)2/C60 in DMF solution is reported. The results show that the trianion of (β-CD)2/C60 exhibits electrocatalytic behavior towards the reduction of 1,2-diiodoethane, whereas the dianion is unable to reduce the diiodoethane. The second-order catalytic rate constant in DMF solution was determined to be 3.1 × 105 M−1 s−1 by analysis of voltammetric responses under pseudo-first-order conditions with respect to (β-CD)2/C60. The results suggest that the host β-cyclodextrin molecules have little effect on the electrocatalytic ability of the encapsulated C60 toward organic halides.