Preparation, Structural Determination, and Characterization of Electronic Properties of Bis-silylated and Bis-germylated Lu3 N@Ih -C80

Functionalization of Endohedral Metallofullerenes with Reactive Silicon and Germanium Compounds

Exohedral derivatization of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) has been exploited as a useful method for characterizing the structural and chemical properties of EMFs, and for functionalizing them for potential applications. The introduction of heteroatoms, such as electropositive silicon atoms, to fullerene cages is a novel functionalization method that remarkably affects the electronic characteristics of fullerenes. This review comprehensively describes the results of the reactions of monometallofullerene, dimetallofullerene, and trimetallic nitride template EMFs with disilirane, silirane, silylene, and digermirane, which afforded the corresponding silylated and germylated fullerenes. Several examples emphasize that exohedral functionalization regulates the dynamic behaviors of the encapsulated metal atoms and clusters in the fullerene cages. The electronic effects of silyl and germyl groups are represented by comparing the redox properties of silylated and germylated EMFs with those of other EMFs derivatized with carbon-atom-based functional groups.

Preparation, Structural Determination, and Characterization of Electronic Properties of [5,6]- and [6,6]-Carbosilylated Sc3 N@Ih -C80

Photochemical carbosilylation of Sc₃ N@I_h -C₈₀ with silirane 1 afforded two corresponding [5,6]-adducts, 2 and 3, and a [6,6]-adduct, 4. The structural and electronic properties of these products were characterized by means of spectroscopic, electrochemical, and theoretical methods. The structure of 2 was disclosed by means of single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. Thermal isomerization of 3 to 2 was observed, whereas that of 2 to 3 proceeded less efficiently at 100 °C. Upon heating under the same conditions, adduct 4 underwent facile decomposition to afford Sc₃ N@I_h -C₈₀ , or isomerized into small amounts of 2 and 3. The relative stabilities of 2, 3, and 4 were rationalized through the results of theoretical calculations. In contrast, adducts 2, 3, and 4 were stable under the photolytic conditions employed for carbosilylation. The photochemical functionalization of Sc₃ N@I_h -C₈₀ represents a convenient synthetic method to obtain thermally labile fullerene-based products.

Photoreactions of Endohedral Metallofullerene with Siliranes: Electronic Properties of Carbosilylated Lu₃N@Ih-C80

Photochemical carbosilylation of Lu₃N@I_h-C₈₀ was performed using siliranes (silacyclopropanes) to afford the corresponding [5,6]- and [6,6]-adducts. Electrochemical studies indicated that the redox potentials of the carbosilylated derivatives were shifted cathodically in comparison with those of the [5,6]-pyrrolidino adducts. The electronic effect of the silirane addends on Lu₃N@I_h-C₈₀ was verified on the basis of density functional theory calculations.

Adamantylidene Addition to M3 N@Ih -C80 (M=Sc, Lu) and Sc3 N@D5h -C80 : Synthesis and Crystallographic Characterization of the [5,6]-Open and [6,6]-Open Adducts

Additions of adamantylidene (Ad) to M₃ N@I_h -C₈₀ (M=Sc, Lu) and Sc₃ N@D_5h -C₈₀ have been accomplished by photochemical reactions with 2-adamantyl-2,3'-[3H]-diazirine (1). In M₃ N@I_h -C₈₀ , the addition led to rupture of the [6,6]- or [5,6]-bonds of the I_h -C₈₀ cage, forming the [6,6]-open fulleroid as the major isomer and the [5,6]-open fulleroid as the minor isomer. In Sc₃ N@D_5h -C₈₀ , the addition also proceeded regioselectively to yield three major isomeric Ad mono-adducts, despite the fact that there are nine types of C-C bonds in the D_5h -C₈₀ cage. The molecular structures of the seven Ad mono-adducts, including the positions of the encaged trimetallic nitride clusters, have been unambiguously determined through single-crystal XRD analyses. Furthermore, results have shown that stepwise addition of Ad to Lu₃ N@I_h -C₈₀ affords several Ad bis-adducts, two of which have been isolated and characterized. The X-ray structure of one bis-adduct clearly revealed that the second Ad addition took place at a [6,6]-bond close to an endohedral metal atom. Theoretical calculations have also been performed to rationalize the regioselectivity.