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@Ih -C80 (M=Sc, Lu) and Sc3 N@D5h -C80 have been accomplished by photochemical reactions with 2-adamantyl-2,3'-[3H]-diazirine (1). In M3 N@Ih -C80 , the addition led to rupture of the [6,6]- or [5,6]-bonds of the Ih -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@D5h -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 D5h -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@Ih -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.

D2d(23)-C84 versus Sc2C2@D2d(23)-C84: Impact of Endohedral Sc2C2 Doping on Chemical Reactivity in the Photolysis of Diazirine.

We compared the chemical reactivity of D2d(23)-C84 and that of Sc2C2@D2d(23)-C84, both having the same carbon cage geometry, in the photolysis of 2-adamantane-2,3'-[3H]-diazirine, to clarify metal-atom doping effects on the chemical reactivity of the carbon cage. Experimental and computational studies have revealed that the chemical reactivity of the D2d(23)-C84 carbon cage is altered drastically by endohedral Sc2C2 doping. The reaction of empty D2d(23)-C84 with the diazirine under photoirradiation yields two adamantylidene (Ad) adducts. NMR spectroscopic studies revealed that the major Ad monoadduct (C84(Ad)-A) has a fulleroid structure and that the minor Ad monoadduct (C84(Ad)-B) has a methanofullerene structure. The latter was also characterized using X-ray crystallography. C84(Ad)-A is stable under photoirradiation, but it interconverted to C84(Ad)-B by heating at 80 °C. In contrast, the reaction of endohedral Sc2C2@D2d(23)-C84 with diazirine under photoirradiation affords four Ad monoadducts (Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-A, Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-B, Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-C, and Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-D). The structure of Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-C was characterized using X-ray crystallography. Thermal interconversion of Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-A and Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-B to Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-C was also observed. The reaction mechanisms of the Ad addition and thermal interconversion were elucidated from theoretical calculations. Calculation results suggest that C84(Ad)-B and Sc2C2@C84(Ad)-C are thermodynamically favorable products. Their different chemical reactivities derive from Sc2C2 doping, which raises the HOMO and LUMO levels of the D2d(23)-C84 carbon cage.

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

Bis-silylated and bis-germylated derivatives of Lu3 N@Ih -C80 (3, 4, 5) were successfully synthesized by the photochemical addition of disiliranes 1 a, 1 b or digermirane 2, and fully characterized by spectroscopic, electrochemical, and theoretical studies. Interestingly, digermirane 2 reacts more efficiently than disiliranes 1 a and 1 b because of its good electron-donor properties and lower steric hindrance around the Ge-Ge bond. The 1,4-adduct structures of 3, 4, 5 were unequivocally established by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analyses. The electrochemical and theoretical studies reveal that the energy gaps between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the 1,4-adducts are remarkably smaller than those of Lu3 N@Ih -C80 , because the electron-donating groups effectively raise the HOMO levels. It is also observed that germyl groups are slightly more electron-donating than the silyl groups on the basis of the redox properties and the HOMO-LUMO energies of 4 and 5. Bis-silylation and bis-germylation are effective and versatile methods for tuning the electronic characteristics of endohedral metallofullerenes.

Partial charge transfer in the shortest possible metallofullerene peapod, La@C82 ⊂[11]cycloparaphenylene.

[11]Cycloparaphenylene ([11]CPP) selectively encapsulates La@C82 to form the shortest possible metallofullerene-carbon nanotube (CNT) peapod, La@C82 ⊂[11]CPP, in solution and in the solid state. Complexation in solution was affected by the polarity of the solvent and was 16 times stronger in the polar solvent nitrobenzene than in the nonpolar solvent 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the redox potentials of La@C82 were negatively shifted upon complexation from free La@C82 . Furthermore, the shifts in the redox potentials increased with polarity of the solvent. These results are consistent with formation of a polar complex, (La@C82 )(δ-) ⊂[11]CPP(δ+) , by partial electron transfer from [11]CPP to La@C82 . This is the first observation of such an electronic interaction between a fullerene pea and CPP pod. Theoretical calculations also supported partial charge transfer (0.07) from [11]CPP to La@C82 . The structure of the complex was unambiguously determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis, which showed the La atom inside the C82 near the periphery of the [11]CPP. The dipole moment of La@C82 was projected toward the CPP pea, nearly perpendicular to the CPP axis. The position of the La atom and the direction of the dipole moment in La@C82 ⊂[11]CPP were significantly different from those observed in La@C82 ⊂CNT, thus indicating a difference in orientation of the fullerene peas between fullerene-CPP and fullerene-CNT peapods. These results highlight the importance of pea-pea interactions in determining the orientation of the metallofullerene in metallofullerene-CNT peapods.

Isolation and characterization of [5,6]-pyrrolidino-Sc3N@I(h)-C80 diastereomers.

Reactions of Sc3N@I(h)-C80 with aziridine derivatives were conducted to afford the corresponding mono-adducts. A pair of diastereomers of the mono-adduct [5,6]-pyrrolidino-Sc3N@I(h)-C80 was isolated and characterized by means of mass spectrometry, vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, and electrochemical measurements. Structural analysis of the mono-adducts was conducted by NMR and single-crystal X-ray structure determinations.

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.

La2@C(s)(17,490)-C76: a new non-IPR dimetallic metallofullerene featuring unexpectedly weak metal-pentalene interactions.

Although all the pure-carbon fullerene isomers above C60 reported to date comply with the isolated pentagon rule (IPR), non-IPR structures, which are expected to have different properties from those of IPR species, are obtainable either by exohedral modification or by endohedral atom doping. This report describes the isolation and characterization of a new endohedral metallofullerene (EMF), La2@C76, which has a non-IPR fullerene cage. The X-ray crystallographic result for the La2@C76/[Ni(II)(OEP)] (OEP=octaethylporphyrin) cocrystal unambiguously elucidated the C(s)(17,490)-C76 cage structure, which contains two adjacent pentagon pairs. Surprisingly, multiple metal sites were distinguished from the X-ray data, which implies dynamic behavior for the two La(3+) cations inside the cage. This dynamic behavior was also corroborated by variable-temperature (139)La NMR spectroscopy. This phenomenon conflicts with the widely accepted idea that the metal cations in non-IPR EMFs invariably coordinate strongly with the negatively charged fused-pentagon carbons, thereby providing new insights into modern coordination chemistry. Furthermore, our electrochemical and computational studies reveal that La2@C(s)(17,490)-C76 has a larger HOMO-LUMO gap than other dilanthanum-EMFs with IPR cage structures, such as La2@D(3h)(5)-C78 and La2@I(h)(7)-C80, which implies that IPR is no longer a strict rule for EMFs.

Rates and energetics of intramolecular electron transfer processes in conjugated metallofullerenes.

In this paper, we report on the design, redox potentials, excited state energies and radical ion pair state energies in electron donor-acceptor conjugates comprising the electron-donating π-extended tetrathiafulvalene and several electron-accepting fullerenes. To this end, we contrast an empty fullerene, that is, C60, with two endohedral metallofullerenes, that is, open-shell La@C82 and closed-shell La2@C80, in terms of charge separation and charge recombination dynamics.

Mechanistic study of the Diels-Alder reaction of paramagnetic endohedral metallofullerene: reaction of La@C82 with 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadiene.

The reaction mechanism of the Diels-Alder reaction of paramagneticendohedral metallofullerene, La@C82, and 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadiene was studied theoretically and experimentally. Theoretical calculations revealed that this reaction proceeds via a concerted mechanism that includes formation of a stable intermediate. The activation energy of a retro-Diels-Alder reaction was also studied experimentally, which is in good agreement with theoretical results.

X-ray observation of a helium atom and placing a nitrogen atom inside He@C60 and He@C70.

Single crystal X-ray analysis has been used as a powerful method to determine the structure of molecules. However, crystallographic data containing helium has not been reported, owing to the difficulty in embedding helium into crystalline materials. Here we report the X-ray diffraction study of He@C60 and the clear observation of a single helium atom inside C60. In addition, the close packing of a helium atom and a nitrogen atom inside fullerenes is realized using two stepwise insertion techniques, that is, molecular surgery to synthesize the fullerenes encapsulating a helium atom, followed by nitrogen radio-frequency plasma methods to generate the fullerenes encapsulating both helium and nitrogen atoms. Electron spin resonance analysis reveals that the encapsulated helium atom has a small but detectable influence on the electronic properties of the highly reactive nitrogen atom coexisting inside the fullerene, suggesting the potential usage of helium for controlling electronic properties of reactive species.

Application of MCD spectroscopy and TD-DFT to endohedral metallofullerenes for characterization of their electronic transitions.

We describe, for the first time, the application of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations using B3LYP and M06-2X functionals to characterize the electronic transitions of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs). Results revealed that the electronic transitions of La@C(2v)-C(82), La(2)@I(h)-C(80), and Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80) can be assigned using these techniques. Particularly, a difference in the electronic transitions between La(2)@I(h)-C(80) and Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80), which is invisible in absorption spectra, was observed clearly in MCD spectra. The observed MCD bands agree well with the oscillator strengths calculated using the B3LYP functional. In addition, the MCD bands of La(2)@I(h)-C(80) were altered upon [5,6]-addition, demonstrating that the MCD spectroscopy is sensitive to chemical functionalization of EMFs, and that it is therefore powerful to distinguish [5,6]-adducts from pristine La(2)@I(h)-C(80), although no marked difference exists in their absorption spectra.

Mapping the metal positions inside spherical C80 cages: crystallographic and theoretical studies of Ce2@D(5h)-C80 and Ce2@I(h)-C80.

The dynamic positions of the dimetallic cluster inside the mid-sized spherical cages of C(80)-C(82) have been seldom studied, despite the high abundance of M(2)@C(2n) (2n = 80, 82) species among various endohedral metallofullerenes. Herein, using crystallographic methods, we first unambiguously map the metal positions for both Ce(2)@D(5h)-C(80) and Ce(2)@I(h)-C(80), showing how the symmetry or geometrical change in cage structure can influence the motional behavior of the cluster. Inside the D(5h) cage, the primary cerium sites have been identified along a cage belt of the contiguous hexagons, which suggests the significant influence of such a cage motif on endohedral cluster motion. Further analysis revealed a distorted D(5h) cage owing to the "punch-out" effect of cerium atoms. The consequence is the presence of two localized electrostatic potential minima inside the cage of (D(5h)-C(80))(6-), thus reflecting the primary ionic cerium-cage interaction. In contrast, a different motional behavior of Ce(2) cluster was observed inside the I(h) cage. With the major cerium sites, the molecule of Ce(2)@I(h)-C(80) presented an approximate D(2h) configuration. With the combined theoretical study, we propose that the additional unidentified influence of Ni(II) (OEP) (OEP = octaethylporphyrin) might be also relevant for the location of cerium sites inside the I(h) cage.

Bis-silylation of Lu3N@I(h)-C80: considerable variation in the electronic structures.

Photochemical reactions of Lu(3)N@I(h)-C(80) with disiliranes 1 and 2 produce several isomeric adducts. Spectroscopic analyses characterize the most stable isomers as 1,4(AA) adducts, which consist of paired twist conformers at rt. The electrochemical and theoretical studies reveal that the HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of the 1,4(AA) adducts are smaller than that of Lu(3)N@I(h)-C(80) because the electron-donating groups effectively raise the HOMO levels.

An endohedral metallofullerene as a pure electron donor: intramolecular electron transfer in donor-acceptor conjugates of La2@C80 and 11,11,12,12-tetracyano-9,10-anthra-p-quinodimethane (TCAQ).

An endohedral metallofullerene, La(2)@C(80), is covalently linked to the strong electron acceptor 11,11,12,12-tetracyano-9,10-anthra-p-quinodimethane (TCAQ) by means of the Prato reaction, affording two different [5,6]-metallofulleropyrrolidines, namely 1a and 2a. 1a and 2a were isolated and fully characterized by means of MALDI-TOF mass, UV-vis-NIR absorption, and NMR spectroscopies. In addition, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) corroborated the unique redox character of 2a, that is, the presence of the electron-donating La(2)@C(80) and the electron-accepting TCAQ. Although a weak electronic coupling dictates the interactions between La(2)@C(80) and TCAQ in the ground state, time-resolved transient absorption experiments reveal that in the excited state (i.e., π-π* centered at La(2)@C(80)) the unprecedented formation of the (La(2)@C(80))(•+)-(TCAQ)(•-) radical ion pair state evolves in nonpolar and polar media with a quantum efficiency of 33%.

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of three Yb@C82 isomers cocrystallized with Ni(II)(octaethylporphyrin).

Single crystals of three soluble Yb@C(82) isomers, namely, Yb@C(2)(5)-C(82), Yb@C(s)(6)-C(82), and Yb@C(2v)(9)-C(82), cocrystallized with Ni(II)(octaethylporphyrin), allowed accurate crystallographic elucidation of their molecular structures in terms of both cage symmetry and metal location. Multiple metal positions were found in all these isomers, but the major metal sites were found in some specific regions within these cages. Specifically, the Yb(2+) ion prefers to reside close to a hexagonal ring in Yb@C(2)(5)-C(82) and Yb@C(2v)(9)-C(82) but a [5,6,6]-junction carbon atom in Yb@C(s)(6)-C(82). Theoretical calculations at the B3LYP level revealed that these metal positions all correspond to energy minima from the electrostatic potential maps and give rise to the most stable configurations of these Yb@C(82) isomers. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that this is the first report on X-ray crystallographic studies of such metallofullerenes with the popular C(2v)(9)-C(82) encapsulating a divalent metal ion, described as M(2+)@[C(2v)(9)-C(82)](2-).

Synthesis of silylene-bridged endohedral metallofullerene Lu3N@I(h)-C80.

Functionalization of endohedral metallofullerenes has been shown to differ depending on photochemical or thermal pathways. We report that Lu(3)N@I(h)-C(80) reacts with thermally generated bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)silylene with high selectivity and forms monosilylated derivative 1b. Unexpectedly, 1b undergoes photochemical conversion to afford isomer 1a under ambient light. These adducts were characterized using NMR, visible-near-IR spectroscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Single-crystal X-ray structure determination of 1a reveals a rare example of an open 1,2-adduct at the [5,6]-ring junction of the I(h)-C(80) cage. The electrochemical study reveals that the redox potentials of 1a and 1b are shifted cathodically compared to those of pristine Lu(3)N@I(h)-C(80) and that monosilylation is effective to fine-tune the electronic properties of endohedral metallofullerenes as well as empty fullerenes. Density functional theory calculations were also performed, which provide a theoretical basis for the structures and the behavior of the encapsulated Lu(3)N cluster.

Stabilizing ion and radical ion pair states in a paramagnetic endohedral metallofullerene/π-extended tetrathiafulvalene conjugate.

Electron donor-acceptor conjugates of paramagnetic endohedral metallofullerenes and π-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF) were synthesized, characterized, and probed with respect to intramolecular electron transfer involving paramagnetic fullerenes. UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy complemented by electrochemical measurements attested to weak electronic interactions between the electron donor, exTTF, and the electron acceptor, La@C(82), in the ground state. In the excited state, photoexcitation powers a fast intramolecular electron transfer to yield an ion and radical ion pair state consisting of one-electron-reduced La@C(82) and of one-electron-oxidized exTTF.

Exceptional chemical properties of Sc@C(2v)(9)-C82 probed with adamantylidene carbene.

It has been an interesting finding that reactions of M@C(2v)(9)-C(82) (M = Y, La, Ce, Gd) with diazirine adamantylidene (AdN(2), 1) gave rise to only two monoadduct isomers, indicating that the cage reactivity of monometallofullerenes is not dependent on the type of the internal metal. However, we found here that Sc@C(2v)(9)-C(82) shows an exceptional chemical reactivity toward the electrophile 1, affording four monoadduct isomers (2a-d). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction crystallographic results of the most abundant isomer (2a) confirm that the addition takes place at a [6,6]-bond junction which is very close to the internal metal ion. Theoretical calculations reveal that 2 out of the 24 nonequivalent cage carbons of Sc@C(2v)(9)-C(82) are highly reactive toward 1, but only one cage carbon of the other M@C(2v)-C(82) (M = Y, La, Ce, Gd) is sufficiently reactive. The exceptional chemical property of Sc@C(2v)(9)-C(82) is associated with the small ionic radius of Sc(3+), which allows stronger metal-cage interactions and makes back-donation of charge from the cage to the metal more pronounced. Our results have provided new insights into the art of altering the chemical properties of fullerene molecules at the atomic level, which would be useful in the future in utilizing EMFs in quantum computing systems.