Premium
A Peanut‐Shaped Polyaromatic Capsule: Solvent‐Dependent Transformation and Electronic Properties of a Non‐Contacted Fullerene Dimer
Author(s) -
Matsumoto Kyosuke,
Kusaba Shunsuke,
Tanaka Yuya,
Sei Yoshihisa,
Akita Munetaka,
Aritani Kazushi,
Haga Masaaki,
Yoshizawa Michito
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201903117
Subject(s) - fullerene , dimer , molecule , capsule , solvent , chemistry , materials science , crystallography , organic chemistry , biology , botany
Synthesis of molecular containers capable of incorporating multiple fullerenes remains challenging. Reported here is that room‐temperature mixing of metal ions with W‐shaped bispyridine ligands featuring polyaromatic panels results in the quantitative formation of a peanut‐shaped M 2 L 4 capsule. The capsule reversibly converts into two molecules of an ML 2 double tube in response to changes in the solvent. Notably, the capsule allows the incorporation of two fullerene molecules into the connected two spherical cavities at room temperature. The close proximity yet non‐contact of the encapsulated C 60 molecules, with a separation of 6.4 Å, was revealed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. The resultant, unusual fullerene dimer undergoes sequential reduction within the capsule to generate (C 60 .− ) 2 , C 60 .− ⋅C 60 2− , and (C 60 2− ) 2 species. Furthermore, temperature‐controlled stepwise incorporation of two C 60 molecules into the capsule is demonstrated.