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Vyas VK, Bacanu GR, Soundararajan M, Marsden ES, Jafari T, Shugai A, Light ME, Nagel U, Rõõm T, Levitt MH, Whitby RJ. Squeezing formaldehyde into C 60 fullerene. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2515. [PMID: 38514674 PMCID: PMC10957948 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46886-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The cavity inside fullerene C60 provides a highly symmetric and inert environment for housing atoms and small molecules. Here we report the encapsulation of formaldehyde inside C60 by molecular surgery, yielding the supermolecular complex CH2O@C60, despite the 4.4 Å van der Waals length of CH2O exceeding the 3.7 Å internal diameter of C60. The presence of CH2O significantly reduces the cage HOMO-LUMO gap. Nuclear spin-spin couplings are observed between the fullerene host and the formaldehyde guest. The rapid spin-lattice relaxation of the formaldehyde 13C nuclei is attributed to a dominant spin-rotation mechanism. Despite being squeezed so tightly, the encapsulated formaldehyde molecules rotate freely about their long axes even at cryogenic temperatures, allowing observation of the ortho-to-para spin isomer conversion by infrared spectroscopy. The particle in a box nature of the system is demonstrated by the observation of two quantised translational modes in the cryogenic THz spectra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijyesh K Vyas
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK
| | - George R Bacanu
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK
| | | | | | - Tanzeeha Jafari
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akademia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
- Department of Cybernetics, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anna Shugai
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akademia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Mark E Light
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK
| | - Urmas Nagel
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akademia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Toomas Rõõm
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akademia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Malcolm H Levitt
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK.
| | - Richard J Whitby
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK.
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Cardillo-Zallo I, Biskupek J, Bloodworth S, Marsden ES, Fay MW, Ramasse QM, Rance GA, Stoppiello CT, Cull WJ, Weare BL, Whitby RJ, Kaiser U, Brown PD, Khlobystov AN. Atomic-Scale Time-Resolved Imaging of Krypton Dimers, Chains and Transition to a One-Dimensional Gas. ACS NANO 2024; 18:2958-2971. [PMID: 38251654 PMCID: PMC10832048 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Single-atom dynamics of noble-gas elements have been investigated using time-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), with direct observation providing for a deeper understanding of chemical bonding, reactivity, and states of matter at the nanoscale. We report on a nanoscale system consisting of endohedral fullerenes encapsulated within single-walled carbon nanotubes ((Kr@C60)@SWCNT), capable of the delivery and release of krypton atoms on-demand, via coalescence of host fullerene cages under the action of the electron beam (in situ) or heat (ex situ). The state and dynamics of Kr atoms were investigated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Kr atom positions were measured precisely using aberration-corrected high-resolution TEM (AC-HRTEM), aberration-corrected scanning TEM (AC-STEM), and single-atom spectroscopic imaging (STEM-EELS). The electron beam drove the formation of 2Kr@C120 capsules, in which van der Waals Kr2 and transient covalent [Kr2]+ bonding states were identified. Thermal coalescence led to the formation of longer coalesced nested nanotubes containing more loosely bound Krn chains (n = 3-6). In some instances, delocalization of Kr atomic positions was confirmed by STEM analysis as the transition to a one-dimensional (1D) gas, as Kr atoms were constrained to only one degree of translational freedom within long, well-annealed, nested nanotubes. Such nested nanotube structures were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. This material represents a highly compressed and dimensionally constrained 1D gas stable under ambient conditions. Direct atomic-scale imaging has revealed elusive bonding states and a previously unseen 1D gaseous state of matter of this noble gas element, demonstrating TEM to be a powerful tool in the discovery of chemistry at the single-atom level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Cardillo-Zallo
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Electron
Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron
Microscopy, Ulm University, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Sally Bloodworth
- School
of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth S. Marsden
- School
of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael W. Fay
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, United
Kingdom
| | - Quentin M. Ramasse
- SuperSTEM
Laboratory, SciTech Daresbury Campus, Daresbury WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
- School of
Chemical and Process Engineering and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A. Rance
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, United
Kingdom
| | - Craig T. Stoppiello
- Centre
for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - William J. Cull
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin L. Weare
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, United
Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Whitby
- School
of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron
Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron
Microscopy, Ulm University, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Paul D. Brown
- Department
of Mechanical, Materials & Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei N. Khlobystov
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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Gao R, Liu Z, Liu Z, Liang T, Su J, Gan L. Open-Cage Fullerene as a Selective Molecular Trap for LiF/[BeF] . Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202300151. [PMID: 36718977 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202300151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The insertion of ionic compounds into open-cage fullerenes is a challenging task due to the electropositive nature of the cavity. The present work reports the preparation of an open-cage C60 derivative with a hydroxy group pointing towards the centre of the cavity, which can coordinate to a metal cation, thus acting as a bait/hook to trap the metal cation such as the lithium cation in neutral LiF and the beryllium cation in the cationic [BeF]+ species. Other metal salts could not be inserted under similar conditions. The structure of MF in the cage was unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Owing to its tendency to undergo polycoordination, Li+ monomer salts have not been isolated before, despite extensive research on Li bonds. The present results provide a unique example of a Li bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Zeyu Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Tongling Liang
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jie Su
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Liangbing Gan
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
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Electronic Structure Calculations on Endohedral Complexes of Fullerenes: Reminiscences and Prospects. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031384. [PMID: 36771050 PMCID: PMC9920411 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The history of electronic structure calculations on the endohedral complexes of fullerenes is reviewed. First, the long road to the isolation of new allotropes of carbon that commenced with the seminal organic syntheses involving simple inorganic substrates is discussed. Next, the focus is switched to author's involvement with fullerene research that has led to the in silico discovery of endohedral complexes. The predictions of these pioneering theoretical studies are juxtaposed against the data afforded by subsequent experimental developments. The successes and failures of the old and modern quantum-chemical calculations on endohedral complexes are summarized and their remaining deficiencies requiring further attention are identified.
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Bloodworth S, Whitby RJ. Synthesis of endohedral fullerenes by molecular surgery. Commun Chem 2022; 5:121. [PMID: 36697689 PMCID: PMC9814919 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-022-00738-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Encapsulation of atoms or small molecules inside fullerenes provides a unique opportunity for study of the confined species in the isolated cavity, and the synthesis of closed C60 or C70 fullerenes with enclosed atoms or molecules has recently developed using the method of 'molecular surgery'; in which an open-cage intermediate fullerene is the host for encapsulation of a guest species, before repair of the cage opening. In this work we review the main methods for cage-opening and closure, and the achievements of molecular surgery to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Bloodworth
- grid.5491.90000 0004 1936 9297Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ UK
| | - Richard J. Whitby
- grid.5491.90000 0004 1936 9297Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ UK
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