Noble gas endohedral fullerenes

Area of Science:

• * Supramolecular Chemistry
• * Materials Science
• * Physical Chemistry

Background:

• * Endohedral fullerenes encapsulate atoms or molecules within their carbon cage.
• * Noble gas (Ng) endohedral fullerenes represent a unique class with intriguing properties.
• * Understanding the interplay between Ng atoms and fullerene cages is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review experimental and theoretical studies on noble gas endohedral fullerenes.
• * To elucidate the effects of confined Ng atoms on fullerene electronic structure and properties.
• * To summarize formation, decomplexation, reactivity, and bonding mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• * Comprehensive literature review of experimental investigations.
• * Analysis of theoretical and computational studies.
• * Synthesis of findings on encapsulation and interactions.

Main Results:

• * Confinement of Ng atoms significantly influences fullerene electronic structure and properties.
• * Detailed mechanisms for formation and decomplexation of Ng endohedral fullerenes are presented.
• * Reactivity, particularly towards Diels-Alder reactions, and bonding characteristics are summarized.

Conclusions:

• * Noble gas endohedral fullerenes exhibit unique chemical and physical properties due to encapsulation.
• * Further research can leverage these properties for novel applications.
• * The review provides a consolidated understanding of these fascinating systems.