Photochemical stability of N@C60 and its pyrrolidine derivatives

► We have synthesized and characterized pyrrolidine derivatives of N@C60. ► We studied the photochemical stability of these derivatives. ► Attachment of a pyrrolidine group to N@C60 lowers its photolytic stability. ► The decay rate of N@C60 derivatives fits first order reaction kinetics. ► We propose a mechanism to account for the observed electron spin loss.