Structure and Properties of the Fullerene Dimer C140 Produced by Pressure Treatment of C70

Semiconducting and Metallic [5,5] Fullertube Nanowires: Characterization of Pristine D5h(1)-C90 and D5d(1)-C100

Although fullerenes were discovered nearly 35 years ago, scientists still struggle to isolate "single molecule" tubular fullerenes larger than C₉₀. In similar fashion, there is a paucity of reports for pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). In spite of Herculean efforts, the isolation and properties of pristine members of these carbonaceous classes remain largely unfulfilled. For example, the low abundance of spherical and tubular higher fullerenes in electric-arc extracts (<0.01-0.5%) and multiplicity of structural isomers remain a major challenge. Recently, a new isolation protocol for highly tubular fullerenes, also called f ullertubes, was reported. Herein, we describe spectroscopic characterization including ¹³C NMR, XPS, and Raman results for purified [5,5] fullertube family members, D_5h-C₉₀ and D_5d-C₁₀₀. In addition, DFT computational HOMO-LUMO gaps, polarizability indices, and electron density maps were also obtained. The Raman and ¹³C NMR results are consistent with semiconducting and metallic properties for D_5h-C₉₀ and D_5d-C₁₀₀, respectively. Our report suggests that short [5,5] fullertubes with aspect ratios of only ∼1.5-2 are metallic and could exhibit unique electronic properties.

Electronic Communication between S=1/2 Spins in Negatively-charged Double-caged Fullerene C60 Derivative Bonded by Two Single Bonds and Pyrrolizidine Bridge

Radical anion salt {cryptand[2.2.2] (K⁺ )}₂ (bispheroid)^2- ⋅3.5C₆ H₄ Cl₂ (1) of the double-caged fullerene C₆₀ derivative, in which fullerene cages are linked by a cyclobutane bridging cycle and additionally by a pyrrolizidine moiety, was obtained. Each fullerene cage in this derivative accepts one electron on reduction, thus forming the (bispheroid)^2- dianions with two interacting S=1/2 spins on the neighboring cages. Low-temperature magnetic measurements reveal a singlet ground state of the bispheroid dianions whereas triplet contributions prevail at increased temperature. An estimated exchange interaction between two spins J/k_B =-78 K in 1 indicates strong magnetic coupling between them, nearly two times higher than that (J/k_B =-44.7 K) in previously studied (C₆₀ ^- )₂ dimers linked via a cyclobutane bridge only. The enhancement of magnetic coupling in 1 can be explained by a shorter distance between the fullerene cages and, possibly, an additional channel for the magnetic exchange provided by a pyrrolizidine bridge. Quantum-chemical calculations of the lowest electronic state of the dianions by means of multi-configuration quasi-degenerate perturbation theory support the experimental findings.

Template-Assisted Proximity for Oligomerization of Fullerenes

Demonstrated herein is an unprecedented porous template-assisted reaction at the solid-liquid interface involving bond formation, which is typically collision-driven and occurs in the solution and gas phases. The template is a TMA (trimesic acid) monolayer with two-dimensional pores that host fullerenes, which otherwise exhibit an insignificant affinity to an undecorated graphite substrate. The confinement of C₈₄ units in the TMA pores formulates a proximity that is ideal for bond formation. The oligomerization of C₈₄ is triggered by an electric pulse via a scanning tunneling microscope tip. The spacing between C₈₄ moieties becomes 1.4 nm, which is larger than the edge-to-edge diameter of 1.1-1.2 nm of C₈₄ due to the formation of intermolecular single bonds. In addition, the characteristic mass-to-charge ratios of dimers and trimers are observed by mass spectrometry. The experimental findings shed light on the active role of spatially tailored templates in facilitating the chemical activity of guest molecules.

Photoluminescence changes of C70 nano/submicro-crystals induced by high pressure and high temperature

Hollow C₇₀ nano/submicro-crystals with a fcc lattice structure were treated under various high pressure and high temperature conditions. The energy band structure was visibly changed by the high pressure and high temperature treatment, and the luminescence of the treated C₇₀ nano/submicro-crystals were tuned from the visible to the near infrared range. In-situ high pressure experiments at room temperature indicate that pressure plays a key role in the tuning of the band gap and PL properties in C₇₀ nanocrystals, and temperature plays an important role in the formation of stable intermolecular bonds and thus to define the final red-shift of the PL peaks. The polymeric phases of C₇₀ nanocrystals treated at high pressure and high temperature were identified from their Raman spectra, which showed a change from monomers to a dimer-rich phase and finally to a phase containing larger, disordered C₇₀ oligomers.

A new carbon phase constructed by long-range ordered carbon clusters from compressing C70 solvates

An ordered amorphous carbon cluster (OACC) structure with building blocks of highly deformed/collapsed C70 is synthesized by compressing C70 *m-xylene, which exhibits an exceptionally high hardness. Different from compressing C60 *m-xylene, a new structure transition is observed in C70*m-xylene at above 30 GPa, indicating the formation of a new OACC structure under pressure.

Mechanochemistry of fullerenes and related materials

The low or lack of solubility of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene/graphite in organic solvents and water severely hampers the study of their chemical functionalizations and practical applications. Covalent and noncovalent functionalizations of fullerenes and related materials via mechanochemistry seem appealing to tackle these problems. In this review article, we provide a comprehensive coverage on the mechanochemical reactions of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphite, including dimerizations and trimerizations, nucleophilic additions, 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, Diels-Alder reactions, [2 + 1] cycloadditions of carbenes and nitrenes, radical additions, oxidations, etc. It is intriguing to find that some reactions of fullerenes can only proceed under solvent-free conditions or undergo different reaction pathways from those of the liquid-phase counterparts to generate completely different products. We also present the application of the mechanical milling technique to complex formation, nanocomposite formation and enhanced hydrogen storage of carbon-related materials.

PERIODIC FULLEROIDS

Construction of periodic fulleroids (including covering polygons other than the classical pentagons and hexagons) is achieved by several coupling procedures. A constitutive typing enumeration for topologically periodic fulleroids is given. π-electronic periodicity of several series of tubulenes is rationalized in terms of some "rules of thumb". The strain energy of these nonplanar molecules was evaluated from the pyramidalization angles of the sp2 carbon atoms by the POAV1 procedure. Semiempirical PM3 calculations support the presented spectral data.

Periodic cages

Various cages are constructed by using three types of caps: f-cap (derived from spherical fullerenes by deleting zones of various size), kf-cap (obtainable by cutting off the polar ring, of size k), and t-cap ("tubercule"-cap). Building ways are presented, some of them being possible isomerization routes in the real chemistry of fullerenes. Periodic cages with ((5,7)3) covering are modeled, and their constitutive typing enumeration is given. Spectral data revealed some electronic periodicity in fullerene clusters. Semiempirical and strain energy calculations complete their characterization.

Bulk Production of a Strong Covalently Linked (C60Hx)2 Dimer

The high-pressure treatment of C60 in an H2 atmosphere at high temperatures leads to the efficient formation of a covalently bound dimer and some oligomeric species. The resulting hydrogenated C120 is an example of the bulk production of covalently bound derivatized fullerene cores. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization in conjunction with reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been applied to the product analysis. The dissociation pattern of selected C120H(2x)+ ions (x > 30) indicates the dimeric structure of (C60H(x))2, as opposed to a giant hydrofullerene species possessing a fused C120 core. However, the results also clearly indicate a much stronger bonding (multiple sigma bonding) between the C60H(x) units than present in cycloaddition products. Evidence of a covalently linked dimer was obtained in labeling experiments, on the basis of which any laser-induced gas-phase aggregation of the C60H(x) monomer during the analysis is discounted.

Vibration-assisted electron tunneling in C140 transistors

We measure electron tunneling in transistors made from C(140), a molecule with a mass-spring-mass geometry chosen as a model system to study electron-vibration coupling. We observe vibration-assisted tunneling at an energy corresponding to the stretching mode of C(140). Molecular modeling provides explanations for why this mode couples more strongly to electron tunneling than to the other internal modes of the molecule. We make comparisons between the observed tunneling rates and those expected from the Franck-Condon model.

Theoretical studies of structures and stabilities of a new odd-numbered fullerene dimer: C141

The possible isomers of a newly synthesized C(141) molecule are calculated using MNDO, AM1, PM3, B3LYP/3-21G, and B3LYP/6-31G(d) methods. The geometry optimizations showed that the isomer 8-8 has the lowest total energy in all 64 possible structures of C(141). Unlike those of C(130), C(140), etc., the C(141) 8-8 shows a new structure: two C(70) side cages open [6.6] ring junctions located at the equator (instead of cap) area to create new chemical bonds for the bridge atom. Theoretical measurements of the average length of the long and short axes of C(70) side cages in the C(141) molecule reveal that when two C(70) cages are connected with each other at the equators, their geometric shapes become more spherical compared with the pristine C(70); this leads to a reduction of the molecular polarizability. Analysis of the local and global strain indicates that the global strain of C(70) monomer in the C(141) 8-8 is greatly reduced compared to the pristine C(70). The stable C(70) derivatives that are formed with reacted C-C bonds in the equator area may put new insights into fullerene chemistry, in particular, for C(70) to react with a large molecule. The results are discussed together with the experimental data.

Highly Selective and Simple Synthesis of C2m−X−C2n Fullerene Dimers

Energetic-radiation-induced dimerization reaction of fullerenes was found to be a simple and highly selective method for synthesis of C2m-X-C2n (m = n or m not equal n) type molecules without formation of other products. Utilizing the new method, C70-C-C70, C60-C-C70, C60-C-C60, and C70-O-C70 were prepared and characterized. The method is capable of synthesizing new C2m-X-C2n molecules by introducing X (different atoms) into the reaction system. Energetic radiation created reactive sites for covalently bonded bridges between fullerene molecules originally only weakly bound by van der Waals force. This observation may open a new subject and practicable approach for polymer sciences of fullerenes.

Strong Interfullerene Electronic Communication in a Bisfullerene−Hexarhodium Sandwich Complex

Reaction of Rh(6)(CO)(12)(dppm)(2) (dppm = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) with 1.4 equiv. of C(60) in chlorobenzene at 120 degrees C affords a face-capping C(60) derivative Rh(6)(CO)(9)(dppm)(2)(micro(3)-eta(2),eta(2),eta(2)-C(60)) (1) in 73% yield. Treatment of 1 with excess CNR (10 equiv., R = CH(2)C(6)H(5)) at 80 degrees C provides a bisbenzylisocyanide-substituted compound Rh(6)(CO)(7)(dppm)(2)(CNR)(2)(micro(3)-eta(2),eta(2),eta(2)-C(60)) (2) in 59% yield. Reaction of 1 with excess C(60) (4 equiv.) in refluxing chlorobenzene followed by treatment with 1 equiv. of CNR at room temperature gives a bisfullerene sandwich complex Rh(6)(CO)(5)(dppm)(2)(CNR)(micro(3)-eta(2),eta(2),eta(2)-C(60))(2) (3) in 31% yield. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 have been characterized by spectroscopic and microanalytical methods as well as by X-ray crystallographic studies. Electrochemical properties of 1, 2, and 3 have been examined by cyclic voltammetry. The cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of 1 and 2 show two reversible one-electron redox waves, a reversible one-step two-electron redox wave, and a reversible one-electron redox wave, respectively, within the solvent cutoff window. This observation suggests that compounds 1 and 2 undergo similar C(60)-localized electrochemical pathways up to 1(5)(-) and 2(5)(-). Each redox wave of 2 appears at more negative potentials compared to that of 1 because of the donor effect of the benzylisocyanide ligand. The CV of compound 3 reveals six reversible well-separated redox waves due to strong interfullerene electronic communication via the Rh(6) metal cluster bridge. The electrochemical properties of 1, 2, and 3 have been rationalized by molecular orbital calculations using the density functional theory (DFT) method. In particular, the molecular orbital (MO) calculation reveals significant contribution of the metal cluster center to the unoccupied molecular orbitals in 3, which is consistent with the experimental result of strong interfullerene electronic communication via the Rh(6) metal cluster spacer.

Novel synthesis and characterization of five isomers of (C(70))(2) fullerene dimers

The synthesis and characterization of dimers and polymers, wherein two or more cages are linked, represent an important frontier in the chemistry of fullerene derivatives. A simple and novel method that requires no special apparatus has been developed for the dimerization of [70]fullerene to (C70)2. Upon grinding [70]fullerene in a mortar and pestle in the presence of K2CO3, five structural isomers of (C70)2 have been produced. These isomers are separated from one another via high performance liquid chromatography and are characterized by 13C NMR, UV-vis-NIR absorption and mass spectroscopy.

Topochemical polymerization of C70 controlled by monomer crystal packing

Polymeric forms of C60 are now well known, but numerous attempts to obtain C70 in a polymeric state have yielded only dimers. Polymeric C70 has now been synthesized by treatment of hexagonally packed C70 single crystals under moderate hydrostatic pressure (2 gigapascals) at elevated temperature (300 degrees C), which confirms predictions from our modeling of polymeric structures of C70. Single-crystal x-ray diffraction shows that the molecules are bridged into polymeric zigzag chains that extend along the c axis of the parent structure. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman data provide evidence for covalent chemical bonding between the C70 cages.