Open AccessFunctionalization Studies of C₆₀ and Synthetic Approaches to Endohedral Metallofullerenes
Author(s) -
Yves Rubin
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.387
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.1998.118
Subject(s) - fullerene , chemistry , metal , surface modification , buckminsterfullerene , graphite , fullerene chemistry , corannulene , pyrolysis , computational chemistry , combinatorial chemistry , organic chemistry
Two strategies aimed at the synthesis of endohedral metallofullerenes are presented. They have required the exploration of the surface chemistry of C60 as well as the development of efficient syntheses of highly unsaturated acetylenic cyclophanes. These studies have led to the formation of the largest orifice on the framework of C60 in the form of a cobalt(III) complex having the metal sitting on top of the opening. Further exploitation of the mechanisms involved in the formation of this cavity are discussed. In the second approach to metallofullerenes, highly unsaturated acetylenic cyclophanes have been designed to fold to fullerenes in a series of cascade reactions, either in the gas phase (mass spectroscopy, flash vacuum pyrolysis), or in solution (metal catalysis, radical-anion rearrangements). The origin of this second approach lies in the mechanism of gas-phase coalescence of polyynes during fullerene formation in the graphite evaporation method. Endohedral metal complexes of C60 are expected to have interesting and diverse properties perhaps as rich as those of C60 and other empty fullerenes.