Premium
Putting Rings around Carbon Nanotubes
Author(s) -
Pérez Emilio M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201702992
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , nanotechnology , pretext , molecule , materials science , rotaxane , chemistry , organic chemistry , supramolecular chemistry , politics , political science , law
In the last five years, we have developed synthetic methods towards encapsulation of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) into organic macrocycles, to form rotaxane‐type molecules. These are the first examples of mechanically interlocked SWNT derivatives (MINTs). In this article, the motivation to continue developing the chemistry of SWNTs at a time well past their hype is discussed and our synthetic strategy and characterization methodology is explained in detail, stressing the general aspects. In particular, special emphasis is placed on the importance of adequate control experiments and bulk spectroscopic and analytical data to determine the structure of SWNT derivatives, as opposed to relying only (or mostly) on microscopy. Also our experimental results are used as pretext to reflect on more general/conceptual issues pertaining to the chemistry of SWNTs and mechanically interlocked molecules.