Acceleration of the Diels‐Alder Reaction between 9‐Functionalized Anthracenes and C60/C70 in the Cavity of a Water Soluble Subphthalocyanine Cage

Herein we report on the acceleration of the Diels‐Alder reaction between a series of 9‐functionalized anthracenes and C60/C70 encapsulated in a water‐soluble metallo‐organic Pd(II)‐subphthalocyanine cage (SubPc‐cage), which performs as a catalytic molecular reactor that provides a beneficial hydrophobic environment. Negatively and positively charged anthracenes do not react either with C60 or C70, due to a favored solvation in water medium and/or to detrimental interactions with positively‐charged Pd(II) corners of SubPc‐cage. Experiments with C60 and C70 rendered parallel results, although C70 proved more reactive, leading to anthracene cycloadducts by reaction in the α bonds. All the results have been rationalized by theoretical calculations at the GFN2‐xTB level.