Mass spectrometric studies of competitive binding of C60 and C70 to mesosubstituted porphyrins

Competitive binding of $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$ to meso-substituted porphyrins was studied by mass spectrometry (MS). Electrospray ionization MS was employed to acquire the mass spectra of 1 : 1 porphyrin-fullerene complexes formed in a mixture of mesosubstituted porphyrin and fullerite to determine the ratio of complexes between $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$. Matrix-free laser desorption ionization MS was used to obtain the mass spectra of fullerite to measure the mole fraction of $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$. The binding constant ratio ($K_{70}$/$K_{60}$) was determined from the mass spectral data. The difference in standard Gibbs free energy change, ${\Delta}({\Delta}G^o)_{70-60}$, for the competitive binding of $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$ was calculated from $K_{70}$/$K_{60}$. Of the five porphyrins, tetraphenyl, tetra(4-pyridyl), tetra(4-carboxyphenyl), tetra(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl), and tetra(pentafluorophenyl) porphyrins, the first three non-bulky porphyrins yield negative values of ${\Delta}({\Delta}G^o)_{70-60}$, whereas the other two bulky porphyrins result in positive values of ${\Delta}({\Delta}G^o)_{70-60}$. This result indicates that $C_{70}$ binding to porphyrin is thermodynamically favored over $C_{60}$ binding in non-bulky porphyrins, but disfavored in bulky ones. It also suggests that the binding mode of $C_{70}$is different between non-bulky and bulky porphyrins, which is in line with previous experimental findings of the "side-on" binding to non-bulky porphyrins and the $C_{60}$-like "end-on" binding to bulky porphyrins.