Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
Published on: March 24, 2018
Chlorinated derivatives of c78-fullerene isomers with unusually short intermolecular halogen-halogen contacts
Kalin S Simeonov1, Konstantin Yu Amsharov, Martin Jansen
1Department of Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany).
Abstract:
The chlorinated fullerenes C78(2)Cl18 and C78(3)Cl18 were synthesized by highly selective chlorination of the individual isomers. They were crystallized as C78(2)Cl18 x Br2 x TiCl4 and solvent free C78(3)Cl18. The carbon connectivities of both isomers have been confirmed through X-ray single-crystal analysis. Studious investigation of both crystal packings together with the crystal structure of C78(4)Cl18 has revealed the presence of unusually short intermolecular halogen-halogen contacts, which provide evidence for attractive intermolecular interactions, the nature of which is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Alkyl Halides
Alkyl halides are halogen-substituted alkanes wherein one or more hydrogen atoms of an alkane is replaced by a halogen atom such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine. The carbon atom in an alkyl halide is bonded to the halogen atom, which is sp3-hybridized and exhibits a tetrahedral shape.
Unlike alkyl halides, compounds in which a halogen atom is bonded to an sp2 -hybridized carbon atom of a carbon-carbon double bond (C=C) are called vinyl halides. Whereas aryl...
Halogenation of Alkenes
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I
Mass Spectrometry: Alkyl Halide Fragmentation
Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Halogenation
Halogenation is another class of electrophilic addition reactions where a halogen molecule gets added across a π bond. In alkynes, the presence of two π bonds allows for the addition of two equivalents of halogens (bromine or chlorine). The addition of the first halogen molecule forms a trans-dihaloalkene as the major product and the cis isomer as the minor product. Subsequent addition of the second equivalent yields the tetrahalide.
Halogens

