Reactivity of fullerenes

In the reaction of cyclotetragermane 27c, products 28c and 29c were obtained in 43% and 37% yields, respectively, based on unreacted Cgo- In order to examine the reactivity of fullerene-silicon derivatives, 29b was irradiated with a carbon disulfide solution of bromine. Purification of the product by means of gel-permeation chromatography afforded C6o and 33 in 93% and 45% yields, respectively (equation ll)23. The structure of 33 was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis (Figure 13). Adduct 33b did not react with bromine in the dark, and therefore a bromine radical seems to participate in this reaction. 

The molecular nature of this carbon allows the spectroscopic identification [15, 108] of this intermediate and several oxocomplexes serving as precursor compounds [105, 109, 110]. On this basis the reactivity of fullerenes in oxidation is now understood in detail and the reaction scenario is secured by experimental verification [106, 107, 111]. 

Choho, K., Langenaeker, W., Van De Woude, G. and Geerlings, P. (1995) Reactivity of fullerenes. Quantum-chemical descriptors versus curvature. J. Mol. Struct. (Theochem), 338, 293-301. 

The reactivity of fullerenes reveals significant differences from the chemical behavior of graphite and diamond. 

The scope of the following review is to summarize the radiation chemical studies that are concerned with the radical-induced redox, excitation and alkylation reaction of fullerenes. In particular, the reactivity of fullerenes and functionalized fullerene derivatives are compared in homogeneous and also heterogeneous systems, including micelles, vesicles and guest-host complexes. 

As already indicated, the unique structure and reactivity of fullerenes Cgo and C70 have attracted considerable attention in a variety of research [40]. Although... 

The Chemical Reactivity of Fullerenes and Endohedral Fullerenes A Theoretical Perspective... 

Abstract We report here a review of our recent efforts at understanding and predicting reactivity and regioselectivity of endohedral (metallo)fullerenes and their parent free fullerenes. The effect of encapsulation of trimetallic nitrides or noble gas atoms/dimers was shown to have a profound impact on the stability and reactivity of fullerene compounds. It is not just the encapsulation, but in particular the nature of the species that is encapsulated that determines how (un)reactive the fullerene becomes. These findings have important consequences for future applications of (metallo)fullerenes in biomedicine and (nano)technology. 

For a more comprehensive and detailed study of the properties and reactivity of fullerenes, the reader is referred to the monographs that comprehensively cover the properties and chemical reactivity of and higher fullerenes [13-16]. 

Potentiality of Fullerenes as New Materials. Fullerene-derived solids are interesting not only from a fundamental but also from a technological point of view. Reactivity of fullerenes has given birth to products with very interesting properties as materials. 

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