Mimicking biological structures such as fruits and seeds using molecules and molecular assemblies is a great synthetic challenge. Here we report peanut-shaped nanostructures comprising two fullerene molecules fully surrounded by a dumbbell-like polyaromatic shell. The shell derives from a molecular double capsule composed of four W-shaped polyaromatic ligands and three metal ions. Mixing the do...

The electron donor-acceptor complexes, which undergo intramolecular charge transfer under external stimulus, are an emerging class of materials showing important application in nonlinear optics. Synthesizing ferrocene/fullerene complexes through face-to-face fusion would enjoy the merits of both ferrocene and fullerene due to their strong donor-acceptor interactions. Four ferrocene/fullerene hy...

The formation of reversible switchable nanostructures monitored by solution and solid-state methods is still a challenge in supramolecular chemistry. By a comprehensive solid state and solution study we demonstrate the potential of the fivefold symmetrical building block of pentaphosphaferrocene in combination with Cu(I) halides to switch between spheres of different porosity and shape. With in...

A new general molecular coding Prolog program is used in theoretical studies of the properties of fullerene isomers and derivatives to identify the topological equivalence classes of atoms and bonds in C20-C60 fullerenes. The symmetry perception algorithm is based on an exhaustive search of a minimal code. During this search all canonical labeled mapping trees are generated, allowing constructi...

Using a purification method introduced earlier based on redox properties it was possible to isolate Sc3N@I(h)-C80 and Sc3N@D(3h)-C78 and a mixture of Sc3N@D(5h)-C80 and Sc3N@D3-C68. Taking advantage of their chemical reactivity differences, Sc3N@D(5h)-C80 was isolated from Sc3N@D3-C68 followed by further functionalization, giving rise to five new methano-derivatives of Sc3N@D(5h)-C80.

Based on the different oxidation potentials of endohedral fullerenes Sc3N@C80 Ih and D5h and Sc3N@C78, an efficient and useful method that avoids HPLC has been developed for their separation. Selective chemical oxidation of the Sc3N@D5h-C80 isomer and Sc3N@C78 by using an acetylferrocenium salt [Fe(COCH3C5H4)Cp](+) followed by column chromatographic separation and reduction with CH3SNa resulted...

Metallofullerenes have many possible uses in technology and even in bio-medical applications. Some fullerenes have been found to have two incarcerated metal atoms such as M2@C80 (M 1⁄4 La, Ce, etc.). We have calculated the structural and electronic properties of Ce2@C80 using density functional theory (DFT). Ce is known to be preferentially incorporated into the Ih symmetric C80 isomer as La do...

Photochemical carbosilylation of Lu₃N@Ih-C80 was performed using siliranes (silacyclopropanes) to afford the corresponding [5,6]- and [6,6]-adducts. Electrochemical studies indicated that the redox potentials of the carbosilylated derivatives were shifted cathodically in comparison with those of the [5,6]-pyrrolidino adducts. The electronic effect of the silirane addends on Lu₃N@Ih-C80 was veri...