Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026
14:04
Derivatization of Protein Crystals with I3C using Random Microseed Matrix Screening
Published on: January 16, 2021
5.0K
Salvaging Reactive Fullerenes from Soot by Exohedral Derivatization
Michio Yamada1, Takeshi Akasaka1,2,3,4, Shigeru Nagase5
1Department of Chemistry, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|April 18, 2018
Summary
Researchers can now synthesize novel carbon cage structures. Exohedral derivatization stabilizes reactive fullerenes, enabling macroscopic production of previously inaccessible molecular carbon species.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
Background:
- Carbon allotropy allows for diverse molecular cage structures, including fullerenes and endohedral metallofullerenes.
- Stable fullerenes are produced in bulk via physical methods, followed by purification.
- Unidentified, reactive, and insoluble fullerene species remain in soot, suggesting unique structures and electronic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore methods for characterizing and stabilizing elusive fullerene species.
- To enable macroscopic production of unconventional fullerene structures.
Main Methods:
- Investigating the properties of "missing" fullerene species in soot.
- Utilizing exohedral derivatization to stabilize reactive carbon cages.
Main Results:
- Identified that "missing" fullerenes likely possess small HOMO-LUMO gaps and unconventional structures.
- Demonstrated that exohedral derivatization effectively stabilizes reactive fullerene cages.
Conclusions:
- Exohedral derivatization offers a viable strategy for salvaging and preparing macroscopic quantities of previously inaccessible fullerene derivatives.
- This approach opens avenues for studying and utilizing novel carbon cage architectures.
Related Concept Videos
00:42Cross-reactivity
33.1K
Overview
33.1K
01:18Reactivity of Enols
4.2K
Enols are a class of compounds where a hydroxyl group is attached to a carbon–carbon double bond, which implies that it is a vinyl alcohol. A carbonyl compound with an α hydrogen undergoes keto–enol tautomerism and remains in equilibrium with its tautomer, the enol form. Usually, the keto tautomer is present in a higher concentration than the enol tautomer due to the higher bond energy of C=O compared to C=C. Moreover, the direction of the keto–enol equilibrium is...
4.2K
01:23Reactivity of Enolate Ions
3.4K
Enolate ions are formed by the acid–base reaction of a carbonyl compound with a base. This leads to deprotonation of the α hydrogen atom, leading to a resonance-stabilized enolate ion where one of the contributing structures is an oxyanion, which imparts additional stability. Therefore, the proton on the α carbon is more acidic in nature than that of other sp3-hybridized C–H bonds but less acidic than those in O–H bonds where the negative charge in the conjugate...
3.4K
01:11Radical Reactivity: Overview
2.8K
Radicals, the highly reactive species, gain stability by undergoing three different reactions. The first reaction involves a radical-radical coupling, in which a radical combines with another radical, forming a spin‐paired molecule. The second reaction is between a radical and a spin‐paired molecule, generating a new radical and a new spin‐paired molecule. The third reaction is radical decomposition in a unimolecular reaction, forming a new radical and a spin‐paired...
2.8K
01:16Radical Reactivity: Nucleophilic Radicals
2.7K
Radicals adjacent to electron-donating groups are called nucleophilic radicals. These radicals readily react with electrophilic alkenes. The SOMO–LUMO interactions are the driving force for the reaction, where the high-energy SOMO of the electron-rich, nucleophilic radicals interacts with the low-energy LUMO of the electron-deficient, electrophilic alkenes. Such SOMO–LUMO interactions are the basis of reactive radical traps, affecting the selectivity in radical reactions. For...
2.7K
01:33Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular
2.2K
Radical reactions can occur either intermolecularly or intramolecularly. In an intermolecular radical reaction, a nucleophilic radical adds to an electrophilic alkene or vice versa. In such reactions, the radical and generally the alkene, which is also called the radical trap, are two different molecules. Additionally, for such intermolecular reactions to occur, the radical trap must be active, present in an excess concentration, and the radical starting material must have a weak...
2.2K