Sc3N@(C80-Ih(7))(CF3)14 and Sc3N@(C80-Ih(7))(CF3)16. Endohedral Metallofullerene Derivatives with Exohedral Addends on Four and Eight Triple-Hexagon Junctions. Does the Sc3N Cluster Control the Addition Pattern or Vice Versa?

Unexpected Formation of Metallofulleroids from Multicomponent Reactions, with Crystallographic and Computational Studies of the Cluster Motion

New multicomponent reactions involving an isocyanide, terminal or internal alkynes, and endohedral metallofullerene (EMF) Lu₃ N@C₈₀ yield metallofulleroids which are characterized by mass-spectrometry, HPLC, and multiple 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Single crystal studies revealed one ketenimine metallofulleroid has ordered Lu₃ N cluster which is unusual for EMF monoadducts. Computational analysis, based on crystallographic data, confirm that the endohedral cluster motion is controlled by the position of the exohedral organic appendants. Our findings provide a new functionalization reaction for EMFs, and a potential facile approach to freeze the endohedral cluster motion at relatively high temperatures.

Electrophilic Trifluoromethylation of Dimetallofullerene Anions en Route to Air-Stable Single-Molecule Magnets with High Blocking Temperature of Magnetization

Lanthanide dimetallofullerenes with single-electron M-M bonds are an important class of single molecular magnets and qubit candidates, but stabilization of their unique electronic and spin structure in the form of a neutral molecule requires functionalization of the fullerene cage with a single radical group. The lack of selectivity of the currently available procedure results in a complicated and tedious separation process. Here we demonstrate that electrophilic trifluoromethylation of a mixture of metallofullerene anions with Umemoto reagent II is highly selective toward M₂@C₈₀^- (M = Tb, Y) anions, yielding M₂@C₈₀(CF₃) monoadducts as the main reaction product. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study proved attachment of the CF₃ group to the pentagon/hexagon/hexagon junction and revealed that positions of metal atoms inside the fullerene cage in the cocrystal with NiOEP are strongly related to the position of the porphyrin moieties. Magnetic characterization of Tb₂@C₈₀(CF₃) showed that it is a robust single-molecule magnet with broad magnetic hysteresis, 100 s blocking temperature of 25 K, and the relaxation barrier of 801(4) K, corresponding to the flipping of the Tb magnetic moment in the strongly ferromagnetically coupled [Tb³⁺-e-Tb³⁺] spin system.

Addition of CF2 group to endohedral fullerene Sc3N@Ih-C80

We report the first successful synthesis of a CF₂ derivative of the stable endohedral fullerene Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀. Reaction with CF₂ClCOONa yields a single C_s-symmetric Sc₃N@C₈₀(CF₂) adduct where the CF₂ group is inserted into a [6,6]-bond and opens it to 2.3 Å between the bridgehead carbon atoms. As evidenced by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry, both the HOMO and the LUMO level of Sc₃N@C₈₀(CF₂) are slightly (ca. 0.1 eV) downshifted with respect to the parent Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀, so the HOMO-LUMO gap remains essentially unchanged. The DFT calculations suggest that the reaction mechanism is not the previously assumed [2 + 1]-cycloaddition of :CF₂ carbene but rather nucleophilic addition of CF₂Cl^- anion followed by elimination of Cl^- and closing of the CF₂ bridge via intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. Selective formation of the [6,6]-Sc₃N@C₈₀(CF₂) turns out to be kinetically controlled and promoted by a particular orientation of the endohedral Sc₃N cluster with respect to the CF₂Cl^- addition site. In its turn, the CF₂ addend partly hampers the rotation of Sc₃N the endohedral cluster compared to its quasi-free reorientations in the parent Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀.

Highly regioselective complexation of tungsten with Eu@C82/Eu@C84: interplay between endohedral and exohedral metallic units induced by electron transfer

Interplay between inner and outer metallic units induced by charge transfer is observed in tungsten complexes of Eu@C₂(5)-C₈₂ and Eu@C₂(13)-C₈₄.

Interactions between the inner and outer units through a fullerene cage are of fundamental importance for the creation of molecular spintronics and machines, but the mechanism of such through-cage interplay is still unclear. In this work, we have designed and synthesized two prototypical compounds which contain only a single europium atom inside the cage and merely a tungsten atom coordinating outside to clarify the interactions between the endohedral and exohedral metallic units. They are obtained by reacting a tungsten complex W(CO)₄(Ph₂PC₂H₄PPh₂) (1) with the corresponding metallofullerenes in a highly regioselective manner (2a for Eu@C₂(5)-C₈₂ and 2b for Eu@C₂(13)-C₈₄). On the one hand, the endohedral Eu-doping has changed the LUMO distribution on C₂(5)-C₈₂/C₂(13)-C₈₄ dramatically, via electron transfer, which governs the addition pattern of the exohedral tungsten resulting in surprisingly high regioselectivity. On the other hand, the exohedral tungsten coordination with Eu@C₂(5)-C_82/Eu@C₂(13)-C₈₄ has restricted the motion of the internal europium ion to some extent by changing the electrostatic potentials, as confirmed by the X-ray results of 2a, 2b and the corresponding pristine metallofullerenes cocrystallized with Ni(OEP) (OEP is the dianion of octaethylporphyrin). We now make it clear that the interplay between the endohedral and exohedral metallic units can be realized in a single system by means of intramolecular charge transfer, which may arouse interest in the design and utilization of novel metallofullerene-based molecular devices.

Lewis Acid-Base Adducts of Sc2C2@C3v(8)-C82/N-Heterocyclic Carbene: Toward Isomerically Pure Metallofullerene Derivatives

The addition of a bulky N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) to Sc₂C₂@C_3v(8)-C₈₂ affords two monoadducts (2a and 2b) quantitatively and regioselectively, representing the first examples of Lewis acid-base pairs of metal carbide cluster fullerenes. 2b is likely a kinetically favorable labile product that cannot be isolated from the solution. The crystallographic results of 2a unambiguously demonstrate that one polarized C-C single bond is formed between the normal carbene site C2N of the NHC and a specific [5,6,6]-carbon atom out of 17 types of nonequivalent cage carbon atoms of Sc₂C₂@C_3v(8)-C₈₂. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the high regioselectivity, the unexpected addition pattern, and the quantitative formation of monoadducts are synergistic results from the cage geometry and electron distribution on the cage.

Crystallographic Evidence for Direct Metal-Metal Bonding in a Stable Open-Shell La2 @Ih -C80 Derivative

Endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) have novel structures and properties that are closely associated with the internal metallic species. Benzyl radical additions have been previously shown to form closed-shell adducts by attaching an odd number of addends to open-shell EMFs (such as Sc3 C2 @Ih -C80 ) whereas an even number of groups are added to closed-shell EMFs (for example Sc3 N@Ih -C80 ). Herein we report that benzyl radical addition to the closed-shell La2 @Ih -C80 forms a stable, open-shell monoadduct instead of the anticipated closed-shell bisadduct. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction results show the formation of a stable radical species. In this species, the La-La distance is comparable to the theoretical value of a La-La covalent bond and is shorter than reported values for other La2 @Ih -C80 derivatives, providing unambiguous evidence for the formation of direct La-La bond.

Sc3N@Ih -C80 as a novel Lewis acid to trap abnormal N-heterocyclic carbenes: the unprecedented formation of a singly bonded [6,6,6]-adduct

An unprecedented singly bonded [6,6,6]-adduct with an abnormal N-heterocyclic carbene structure, represents the first example of carbon-based Lewis acid–base pairs based on endohedral metallofullerenes.

The reaction between an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), namely 1,3-bis(diisopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylene (1), and Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀ successfully affords a Lewis acid–base pair (2a). Single crystal X-ray crystallographic results unambiguously reveal the unexpected structure of 2a where the abnormal carbene center of the NHC is connected to a triple-hexagon-junction (THJ) carbon atom of Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀via a single bond. Theoretical calculations reveal that selective entrapment of the abnormal carbene 1 is caused by the steric hindrance between the normal NHC moiety and the fullerene cage, which precludes the formation of normal carbene adducts. Furthermore, the analysis of the electronic density distribution on the cage of Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀ indicates that THJ carbons bear relatively low negative charge densities and, accordingly, are easily attacked by the electron-rich NHC 1 to form the singly bonded [6,6,6]-adduct 2a instead of the corresponding [5,6,6]-adduct 2b. It is thus confirmed that the regioselective formation of 2a is a synergistic effect of both cage size and electron density distribution. Sc₃N@I_h-C₈₀, although with a highly charged cage, is proven to show excellent Lewis acidity, opening a wide avenue toward carbon-based Lewis acids taking into account the diversity of endohedral metallofullerenes.

Regioselective benzyl radical addition to an open-shell cluster metallofullerene. Crystallographic studies of cocrystallized Sc3C2@Ih-C80 and its singly bonded derivative

The endohedral fullerene once erroneously identified as Sc3@C82 was recently shown to be Sc3C2@Ih-C80, the first example of an open-shell cluster metallofullerene. We herein report that benzyl bromide (1) reacts with Sc3C2@ Ih-C80 via a regioselective radical addition that affords only one isomer of the adduct Sc3C2@Ih-C80(CH2C6H5) (2) in high yield. An X-ray crystallographic study of 2 demonstrated that the benzyl moiety is singly bonded to the fullerene cage, which eliminates the paramagnetism of the endohedral in agreement with the ESR results. Interestingly, X-ray results further reveal that the 3-fold disordered Sc3C2 cluster adopts two different configurations inside the cage. These configurations represent the so-called "planar" form and the computationally predicted, but not crystallographically characterized, "trifoliate" form. It is noteworthy that this is the first crystallographic observation of the "trifoliate" form for the Sc3C2 cluster. In contrast, crystallographic investigation of a Sc3C2@Ih-C80/Ni(OEP) cocrystal, in which the endohedral persists in an open-shell structure with paramagnetism, indicates that only the former form occurs in pristine Sc3C2@ Ih-C80. These results demonstrate that the cluster configuration in EMFs is highly sensitive to the electronic structure, which is tunable by exohedral modification. In addition, the electrochemical behavior of Sc3C2@Ih-C80 has been markedly changed by the radical addition, but the absorption spectra of the pristine and the derivative are both featureless. These results suggest that the unpaired electron of Sc3C2@Ih-C80 is buried in the Sc3C2 cluster and does not affect the electronic configuration of the cage.

Regioselective synthesis and molecular structure of the first derivative of praseodymium-containing metallofullerenes

A single praseodymium atom plays a critical role in controlling the chemical properties of the cage carbons of C₈₂.

Current status and future developments of endohedral metallofullerenes

Endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs), a new class of hybrid molecules formed by encapsulation of metallic species inside fullerene cages, exhibit unique properties that differ distinctly from those of empty fullerenes because of the presence of metals and their hybridization effects via electron transfer. This critical review provides a balanced but not an exhaustive summary regarding almost all aspects of EMFs, including the history, the classification, current progress in the synthesis, extraction, isolation, and characterization of EMFs, as well as their physiochemical properties and applications in fields such as electronics, photovoltaics, biomedicine, and materials science. Emphasis is assigned to experimentally obtained results, especially the X-ray crystallographic characterizations of EMFs and their derivatives, rather than theoretical calculations, although the latter has indeed enhanced our knowledge of metal-cage interactions. Finally, perspectives related to future developments and challenges in the research of EMFs are proposed. (381 references).

Chemistry of endohedral metallofullerenes: the role of metals

Recent breakthroughs achieved in the chemical functionalization of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs), especially single crystallographic X-ray characterizations of their derivatives, have presented fundamentally new insights into the structures and properties of these metal-carbon hybrid molecules, and have also brought immense potential applications. In particular, the interplay between the encapsulated metallic species and the fullerene cage has been well investigated. On one hand, the position and motion of the encapsulated metals can be effectively controlled by exohedral modification. On the other hand, the cage structures, the chemical behaviours of cage carbons and thus the chemical reactivity of the whole molecule are also apparently influenced by the electronic configuration and geometrical conformation of the internal metals via strong metal-cage interactions. In this article, we contribute a systematic review of the important chemical transformations of EMFs reported to date, including disilylation, 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with ylides, cyclopropanation with carbenes and carbanions, cycloaddition with dienes and benzyne, radical reactions, and other miscellaneous reactions, in addition to noncovalent interactions such as supramolecular complexation. The roles that internal metals play in controlling the reactivity of cage carbons are particularly emphasized. Finally, some applicable materials based on EMFs and their derivatives are summarized and practical perspectives are proposed.

Synthesis, isolation, and addition patterns of trifluoromethylated D5h and I(h) isomers of Sc3N@C80: Sc3N@D5h-C80(CF3)18 and Sc3N@I(h)-C80(CF3)14

Sc(3)N@D(5h)-C(80) and Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80) were trifluoromethylated with CF(3)I at 400 °C, affording mixtures of CF(3) derivatives. After separation with HPLC, the first multi-CF(3) derivative of Sc(3)N@D(5h)-C(80), Sc(3)N@D(5h)-C(80)(CF(3))(18), and three new isomers of Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80)(CF(3))(14) were investigated by X-ray crystallography. The Sc(3)N@D(5h)-C(80)(CF(3))(18) molecule is characterized by a large number of double C-C bonds and benzenoid rings within the D(5h)-C(80) cage and a fully different position of the Sc(3)N unit compared to that in the pristine Sc(3)N@D(5h)-C(80). A detailed comparison of five Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80)(CF(3))(14) isomers reveals a strong influence of the exohedral additions on the behavior of the Sc(3)N cluster inside the I(h)-C(80) cage.

Poly(perfluoroalkylation) of metallic nitride fullerenes reveals addition-pattern guidelines: synthesis and characterization of a family of Sc3N@C80(CF3)n (n = 2-16) and their radical anions

A family of highly stable (poly)perfluoroalkylated metallic nitride cluster fullerenes was prepared in high-temperature reactions and characterized by spectroscopic (MS, (19)F NMR, UV-vis/NIR, ESR), structural and electrochemical methods. For two new compounds, Sc(3)N@C(80)(CF(3))(10) and Sc(3)N@C(80)(CF(3))(12,) single crystal X-ray structures are determined. Addition pattern guidelines for endohedral fullerene derivatives with bulky functional groups are formulated as a result of experimental ((19)F NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction) studies and exhaustive quantum chemical calculations of the structures of Sc(3)N@C(80)(CF(3))(n) (n = 2-16). Electrochemical studies revealed that Sc(3)N@C(80)(CF(3))(n) derivatives are easier to reduce than Sc(3)N@C(80), the shift of E(1/2) potentials ranging from +0.11 V (n = 2) to +0.42 V (n = 10). Stable radical anions of Sc(3)N@C(80)(CF(3))(n) were generated in solution and characterized by ESR spectroscopy, revealing their (45)Sc hyperfine structure. Facile further functionalizations via cycloadditions or radical additions were achieved for trifluoromethylated Sc(3)N@C(80) making them attractive versatile platforms for the design of molecular and supramolecular materials of fundamental and practical importance.