Ultrafast Photoinduced Charge Separation Leading to High‐Energy Radical Ion‐Pairs in Directly Linked Corrole–C60 and Triphenylamine–Corrole‐C60 Donor–Acceptor Conjugates

Closely positioned donor–acceptor pairs facilitate electron‐ and energy‐transfer events, relevant to light energy conversion. Here, a triad system TPACor‐C₆₀ , possessing a free‐base corrole as central unit that linked the energy donor triphenylamine ( TPA ) at the meso position and an electron acceptor fullerene (C₆₀) at the β‐pyrrole position was newly synthesized, as were the component dyads TPA‐Cor and Cor‐C₆₀ . Spectroscopic, electrochemical, and DFT studies confirmed the molecular integrity and existence of a moderate level of intramolecular interactions between the components. Steady‐state fluorescence studies showed efficient energy transfer from ¹ TPA* to the corrole and subsequent electron transfer from ¹corrole* to fullerene. Further studies involving femtosecond and nanosecond laser flash photolysis confirmed electron transfer to be the quenching mechanism of corrole emission, in which the electron‐transfer products, the corrole radical cation ( Cor^?+ in Cor‐C₆₀ and TPA‐Cor^?+ in TPACor‐C₆₀ ) and fullerene radical anion (C₆₀^??), could be spectrally characterized. Owing to the close proximity of the donor and acceptor entities in the dyad and triad, the rate of charge separation, k_CS, was found to be about 10¹¹ s^?1, suggesting the occurrence of an ultrafast charge‐separation process. Interestingly, although an order of magnitude slower than k_CS, the rate of charge recombination, k_CR, was also found to be rapid (k_CR≈10¹⁰ s^?1), and both processes followed the solvent polarity trend DMF>benzonitrile>THF>toluene. The charge‐separated species relaxed directly to the ground state in polar solvents while in toluene, formation of ³corrole* was observed, thus implying that the energy of the charge‐separated state in a nonpolar solvent is higher than the energy of ³corrole* being about 1.52 eV. That is, ultrafast formation of a high‐energy charge‐separated state in toluene has been achieved in these closely spaced corrole–fullerene donor–acceptor conjugates.     

Supramolecular Interaction of Fullerenes with a Curved π‐Surface of a Monomeric Quadruply Ring‐Fused Porphyrin

Molecular binding of fullerenes, C₆₀ and C₇₀, with the Zn^II complex of a monomeric ring‐fused porphyrin derivative ( 2 ‐py) as a host molecule, which has a concave π‐conjugated surface, has been confirmed spectroscopically. The structures of associated complexes composed of fullerenes and 2 ‐py were explicitly established by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The fullerenes in the 2:1 complexes, which consist of two 2 ‐py molecules and one fullerene molecule, are fully covered by the concave surfaces of the two 2 ‐py molecules in the crystal structure. In contrast, in the crystal structure of the 1:1 complex consisting of one 2 ‐py molecule and one C₆₀ molecule, the C₆₀ molecule formed a π–π stacked pair with a C₆₀ molecule in the neighboring complex using a partial surface, which was uncovered by the 2 ‐py molecule. Additionally, the molecular size of fullerene adopted significantly affects the ¹H NMR spectral changes and the redox properties of 2 ‐py upon the molecular binding.     

Photosynthetic Antenna‐Reaction Center Mimicry with a Covalently Linked Monostyryl Boron‐Dipyrromethene–Aza‐Boron‐Dipyrromethene–C60 Triad

An efficient functional mimic of the photosynthetic antenna‐reaction center has been designed and synthesized. The model contains a near‐infrared‐absorbing aza‐boron‐dipyrromethene (ADP) that is connected to a monostyryl boron‐dipyrromethene (BDP) by a click reaction and to a fullerene (C₆₀) using the Prato reaction. The intramolecular photoinduced energy and electron‐transfer processes of this triad as well as the corresponding dyads BDP‐ADP and ADP‐C₆₀ have been studied with steady‐state and time‐resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic methods in benzonitrile. Upon excitation, the BDP moiety of the triad is significantly quenched due to energy transfer to the ADP core, which subsequently transfers an electron to the fullerene unit. Cyclic and differential pulse voltammetric studies have revealed the redox states of the components, which allow estimation of the energies of the charge‐separated states. Such calculations show that electron transfer from the singlet excited ADP (¹ADP*) to C₆₀ yielding ADP^.+‐C₆₀^.? is energetically favorable. By using femtosecond laser flash photolysis, concrete evidence has been obtained for the occurrence of energy transfer from ¹BDP* to ADP in the dyad BDP‐ADP and electron transfer from ¹ADP* to C₆₀ in the dyad ADP‐C₆₀. Sequential energy and electron transfer have also been clearly observed in the triad BDP‐ADP‐C₆₀. By monitoring the rise of ADP emission, it has been found that the rate of energy transfer is fast (≈10¹¹ s^?1). The dynamics of electron transfer through ¹ADP* has also been studied by monitoring the formation of C₆₀ radical anion at 1000 nm. A fast charge‐separation process from ¹ADP* to C₆₀ has been detected, which gives the relatively long‐lived BDP‐ADP^.+C₆₀^.? with a lifetime of 1.47 ns. As shown by nanosecond transient absorption measurements, the charge‐separated state decays slowly to populate mainly the triplet state of ADP before returning to the ground state. These findings show that the dyads BDP‐ADP and ADP‐C₆₀, and the triad BDP‐ADP‐C₆₀ are interesting artificial analogues that can mimic the antenna and reaction center of the natural photosynthetic systems.     

Multistep Energy and Electron Transfer in a “V‐Configured” Supramolecular BODIPY–azaBODIPY–Fullerene Triad: Mimicry of Photosynthetic Antenna Reaction‐Center Events

A new photosynthetic antenna‐reaction‐center model compound composed of covalently linked BF₂‐chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY), BF₂‐chelated azadipyrromethene (azaBODIPY), and fullerene (C₆₀), in a “V‐configuration”, has been newly synthesized and characterized by using a multistep synthetic procedure. Optical absorbance and steady‐state fluorescence, computational, and electrochemical studies were systematically performed in nonpolar, toluene, and polar, benzonitrile, solvents to establish the molecular integrity of the triad and to construct an energy‐level diagram revealing different photochemical events. The geometry obtained by B3LYP/6‐31G* calculations revealed the anticipated V‐configuration of the BODIPY‐azaBODIPY‐C₆₀ triad. The location of the frontier orbitals in the triad tracked the site of electron transfer determined from electrochemical studies. The different photochemical events originated from ¹BODIPY* were realized from the energy‐level diagram. Accordingly, ¹BODIPY* resulted in competitive ultrafast energy transfer to produce BODIPY–¹azaBODIPY*–C₆₀ and electron transfer to produce BODIPY ^{. +}–azaBODIPY–C₆₀ ^{. ?} as major photochemical events. The charge‐separated state persisted for few nanoseconds prior populating ³C₆₀*, which in turn revealed an unusual triplet–triplet energy transfer to produce ³azaBODIPY* prior returning to the ground state. These findings delineate the importance of multimodular systems in energy harvesting, and more importantly, their utility in building multifunction performing optoelectronic devices.     

Tribenzotriquinacene Receptors for C60 Fullerene Rotors: Towards C3 Symmetrical Chiral Stators for Unidirectionally Operating Nanoratchets

The synthesis of a stereochemically pure concave tribenzotriquinacene receptor ( 7 ) for C₆₀ fullerene, possessing C₃ point group symmetry, by threefold condensation of C₂‐symmetric 1,2‐diketone synthons ( 5 ) and a hexaaminotribenzotriquinacene core ( 6 ) is described. The chiral diketone was synthesized in a five‐step reaction sequence starting from C_2h‐symmetric 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylanthracene. The highly diastereo‐discriminating Diels–Alder reaction of 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylanthracene with fumaric acid di(?)menthyl ester, catalyzed by aluminium chloride, is the relevant stereochemistry introducing step. The structure of the fullerene receptor was verified by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single crystal X‐ray diffraction. VCD and ECD spectra were recorded, which were corroborated by ab initio DFT calculations, establishing the chiral nature of 7 with about 99.7 % ee, based on the ee (99.9 %) of the chiral synthon ( 1 ). The absolute configuration of 7 could thus be established as all‐S [(2S,7S,16S,21S,30S,35S)‐( 7 )]. Spectroscopic titration experiments reveal that the host forms 1:1 complexes with either pure fullerene (C₆₀) or fullerene derivatives, such as rotor 1′‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐3′‐(4‐N,N‐dimethylaminophenyl)‐pyrazolino[4′,5′:1,2][60]fullerene ( R ). The complex stability constants of the complexes dissolved in CHCl₃/CS₂ (1:1 vol. %) are K([ C₆₀ ? 7 ])=319(±156) M ^?1 and K([ R ? 7 ])=110(±50) M ^?1. With molecular dynamics simulations using a first‐principles parameterized force field the asymmetry of the rotational potential for [ R ? 7 ] was shown, demonstrating the potential suitability of receptor 7 to act as a stator in a unidirectionally operating nanoratchet.     

A Novel BODIPY‐Based Low‐Band‐Gap Small‐Molecule Acceptor for Efficient Non‐fullerene Polymer Solar Cells

We report herein an efficient A¹‐C≡C‐A²‐C≡C‐A¹ type small‐molecule 4,4'‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐ indacene (BODIPY) acceptor (A¹=BODIPY and A²=diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)) by following the A‐to‐A excited electron delocalization via the BODIPY meso ‐position, the inherent directionality for the excited electron delocalization. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) delocalizes across over whole the two flanking A¹ and the central A², and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) localizes dominantly on the ‐C≡C‐DPP‐C≡C‐ segment. The excited electron upon light excitation of the DPP segment delocalizes over both the BODIPY and DPP segments. The acceptor in chloroform shows an unprecedented plateau‐like broad absorption between 550 and 700 nm with a large FWHM value of 195 nm. Upon transition into solid film, the acceptor shows absorption in the whole near ultraviolet‐visible‐near infrared wavelength region (300‐830 nm) with a low band gap of 1.5 eV and a maximum absorptivity of 0.85×10⁵ cm^‐1. Introduction of the ethynyl spacer between the A¹ and A² and the close BODIPY‐to‐DPP LUMO energy levels are crucial for the excited π−electron delocalization across over whole the conjugation backbone. A power conversion efficiency of 6.60% was obtained from the ternary non‐fullerene solar cell with PTB7‐Th:p ‐DTS(FBTTh₂)₂ (0.5 : 0.5) as the donor materials, which is the highest value among the non‐fullerene organic solar cells with BODIPY as the electron acceptor material.     

The self‐consistent charge density functional tight‐binding theory study of carbon adatoms using tuned Hubbard U parameters

The self‐consistent charge density functional tight‐binding (DFTB) theory is a useful tool for realizing the electronic structures of large molecular complex systems. In this study, the electronic structure of C₆₁ formed by fullerene C₆₀ with a carbon adatom is analyzed, using the fully localized limit and pseudo self‐interaction correction methods of DFTB to adjust the Hubbard U parameter (DFTB + U). The results show that both the methods used to adjust U can significantly reduce the molecular orbital energy of occupied states localized on the defect carbon atom and improve the gap between highest occupied molecular orbital(HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO) of C₆₁. This work will provide a methodological reference point for future DFTB calculations of the electronic structures of carbon materials.     

High‐Potential Perfluorinated Phthalocyanine–Fullerene Dyads for Generation of High‐Energy Charge‐Separated States: Formation and Photoinduced Electron‐Transfer Studies

High oxidation potential perfluorinated zinc phthalocyanines (ZnF_nPcs) are synthesised and their spectroscopic, redox, and light‐induced electron‐transfer properties investigated systematically by forming donor–acceptor dyads through metal–ligand axial coordination of fullerene (C₆₀) derivatives. Absorption and fluorescence spectral studies reveal efficient binding of the pyridine‐ (Py) and phenylimidazole‐functionalised fullerene (C₆₀Im) derivatives to the zinc centre of the F_nPcs. The determined binding constants, K, in o‐dichlorobenzene for the 1:1 complexes are in the order of 10⁴ to 10⁵ M ^?1; nearly an order of magnitude higher than that observed for the dyad formed from zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) lacking fluorine substituents. The geometry and electronic structure of the dyads are determined by using the B3LYP/6‐31G* method. The HOMO and LUMO levels are located on the Pc and C₆₀ entities, respectively; this suggests the formation of ZnF_nPc^.+–C₆₀Im^.? and ZnF_nPc^.+–C₆₀Py^.? (n=0, 8 or 16) intra‐supramolecular charge‐separated states during electron transfer. Electrochemical studies on the ZnPc–C₆₀ dyads enable accurate determination of their oxidation and reduction potentials and the energy of the charge‐separated states. The energy of the charge‐separated state for dyads composed of ZnF_nPc is higher than that of normal ZnPc–C₆₀ dyads and reveals their significance in harvesting higher amounts of light energy. Evidence for charge separation in the dyads is secured from femtosecond transient absorption studies in nonpolar toluene. Kinetic evaluation of the cation and anion radical ion peaks reveals ultrafast charge separation and charge recombination in dyads composed of perfluorinated phthalocyanine and fullerene; this implies their significance in solar‐energy harvesting and optoelectronic device building applications.     

3,17‐Dioxoandrost‐4‐en‐4‐yl acetate

The title compound, C₂₁H₂₈O₄, has a 4‐acetoxy substituent positioned on the steroid α face. The six‐membered ring A assumes a conformation intermediate between 1α,2β‐half chair and 1α‐sofa. A long Csp³—Csp³ bond is observed in ring B and reproduced in quantum‐mechanical ab initio calculations of the isolated molecule using a molecular‐orbital Hartree–Fock method. Cohesion of the crystal can be attributed to van der Waals interactions and weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds.     

Mechanochemical Encapsulation of Fullerenes in Peptidic Containers Prepared by Dynamic Chiral Self‐Sorting and Self‐Assembly

Molecular capsules composed of amino acid or peptide derivatives connected to resorcin[4]arene scaffolds through acylhydrazone linkers have been synthesized using dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) and hydrogen‐bond‐based self‐assembly. The dynamic character of the linkers and the preference of the peptides towards self‐assembly into β‐barrel‐type motifs lead to the spontaneous amplification of formation of homochiral capsules from mixtures of different substrates. The capsules have cavities of around 800 ų and exhibit good kinetic stability. Although they retain their dynamic character, which allows processes such as chiral self‐sorting and chiral self‐assembly to operate with high fidelity, guest complexation is hindered in solution. However, the quantitative complexation of even very large guests, such as fullerene C₆₀ or C₇₀, is possible through the utilization of reversible covalent bonds or the application of mechanochemical methods. The NMR spectra show the influence of the chiral environment on the symmetry of the fullerene molecules, which results in the differentiation of diastereotopic carbon atoms for C₇₀, and the X‐ray structures provide unique information on the modes of peptide–fullerene interactions.     

Computed Relative Populations of D2(22)‐C84 Endohedrals with Encapsulated Monomeric and Dimeric Water

Water monomer and dimer encapsulations into D₂(22)‐C₈₄ fullerene are evaluated. The encapsulation energy is computed at the M06‐2X/6‐31++G** level, and it is found that the monomer and dimer storage in C₈₄ yields an energy gain of 10.7 and 17.4 kcal mol^?1, respectively. Encapsulation equilibrium constants are computed by using partition functions based on the M06‐2X/6‐31G** and M06‐2X/6‐31++G** molecular data. Under high‐temperature/high‐pressure conditions, similar to that for the encapsulation of rare gases in fullerenes, the computed (H₂O)₂@C₈₄‐to‐H₂O@C₈₄ ratio is close to 1:2.     

Concise Synthesis of Open‐Cage Fullerenes for Oxygen Delivery

Open‐cage fullerenes with a 19‐membered orifice were prepared in three steps from C₆₀. The key step for cage‐opening is aniline mediated ring expansion of a fullerene‐mixed peroxide with a ketolactone moiety on the orifice. Release of ring strain on the spherical fullerene cage served as the main driving force for the efficient cage‐opening sequence. Encapsulation of oxygen could be achieved at room temperature under moderate pressure (50 atm) and the encapsulated oxygen could be released slowly under ambient conditions. The activation energy of the oxygen‐releasing process is 18.8 kcal mol^?1 and the half‐life at 37 °C was 73 min, which makes this open‐cage fullerene derivative a potential oxygen‐delivery material.     

Ultrafast Photoinduced Energy and Electron Transfer in Multi‐Modular Donor–Acceptor Conjugates

New multi‐modular donor–acceptor conjugates featuring zinc porphyrin (ZnP), catechol‐chelated boron dipyrrin (BDP), triphenylamine (TPA) and fullerene (C₆₀), or naphthalenediimide (NDI) have been newly designed and synthesized as photosynthetic antenna and reaction‐center mimics. The X‐ray structure of triphenylamine‐BDP is also reported. The wide‐band capturing polyad revealed ultrafast energy‐transfer (k_ENT=1.0×10¹² s^?1) from the singlet excited BDP to the covalently linked ZnP owing to close proximity and favorable orientation of the entities. Introducing either fullerene or naphthalenediimide electron acceptors to the TPA‐BDP‐ZnP triad through metal–ligand axial coordination resulted in electron donor–acceptor polyads whose structures were revealed by spectroscopic, electrochemical and computational studies. Excitation of the electron donor, zinc porphyrin resulted in rapid electron‐transfer to coordinated fullerene or naphthalenediimide yielding charge separated ion‐pair species. The measured electron transfer rate constants from femtosecond transient spectral technique in non‐polar toluene were in the range of 5.0×10⁹–3.5×10¹⁰ s^?1. Stabilization of the charge‐separated state in these multi‐modular donor–acceptor polyads is also observed to certain level.     

A Peanut‐Shaped Polyaromatic Capsule: Solvent‐Dependent Transformation and Electronic Properties of a Non‐Contacted Fullerene Dimer

Synthesis of molecular containers capable of incorporating multiple fullerenes remains challenging. Reported here is that room‐temperature mixing of metal ions with W‐shaped bispyridine ligands featuring polyaromatic panels results in the quantitative formation of a peanut‐shaped M₂L₄ capsule. The capsule reversibly converts into two molecules of an ML₂ double tube in response to changes in the solvent. Notably, the capsule allows the incorporation of two fullerene molecules into the connected two spherical cavities at room temperature. The close proximity yet non‐contact of the encapsulated C₆₀ molecules, with a separation of 6.4 Å, was revealed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. The resultant, unusual fullerene dimer undergoes sequential reduction within the capsule to generate (C₆₀^.?)₂, C₆₀^.??C₆₀^2?, and (C₆₀^2?)₂ species. Furthermore, temperature‐controlled stepwise incorporation of two C₆₀ molecules into the capsule is demonstrated.     

Two‐component molecular crystals from N‐heteroaromatics and nitro­benzoic acids

Five two‐component molecular crystals, benzimidazolium 3‐nitro­benzoate, C₇H₇N₂⁺·C₇H₄NO₄^?, (I), benzimidazolium 4‐nitro­benzoate, C₇H₇N₂⁺·C₇H₄NO₄^?, (II), 1H‐benzotriazole–3‐nitro­benzoic acid (1/1), C₆H₅N₃·C₇H₅NO₄, (III), imidazol­ium 3‐nitro­benzoate, C₃H₅N₂⁺·C₇H₄NO₄^?, (IV), and imid­azolium 4‐nitro­benzoate, C₃H₅N₂⁺·C₇H₄NO₄^?, (V), were prepared with the aim of making chiral crystals. Only (I) crystallizes in a chiral space group. The mol­ecules of (I) and (II) are linked by hydrogen bonds to form 2₁ spiral chains. In (III), (IV) and (V), macrocyclic structures are formed from two acid and two base components, by an alternate arrangement of the acid and base moieties.     

Effect of Fullerene Volume Fraction on Two‐Dimensional Crystal‐Constructed Supramolecular Liquid Crystals

The volume fraction plays an important role in phase segregated soft matters. We demonstrate here that at high fullerene volume fraction in soft chain‐tethered‐fullerene dyads, different two‐dimensional (2D) crystal‐constructed smectic‐like lamella liquid crystalline (LC) phases can be formed with triple‐layer (S_T phase) or quadruple‐layer (S_Q phase) stacking of fullerenes in 2D crystals. The combination of 2D crystal and LC properties in one system affords these fullerene dyads controlled electron mobility in the range of 10^?5–10^?3 cm² V^?1 s^?1 at room temperature (S_T phase), by regulating the insulated soft layer thickness between 2D crystals via the manipulation of fullerene volume fraction.     

Almost Enclosed Buckyball Joints: Synthesis,Complex Formation,and Computational Simulations of Pentypticene‐Extended Tribenzotriquinacene

We report the synthesis of a tribenzotriquinacene‐based (TBTQ) receptor ( 3 ) for C₆₀ fullerene, which is extended by pentiptycene moieties to provide an almost enclosed concave ball bearing. The system serves as a model for a self‐assembling molecular rotor with a flexible and adapting stator. Unexpectedly, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic investigations reveal a surprisingly low complex stability constant of K₁=213±37 M ^?1 for [C₆₀? 3 ], seemingly inconsistent with the previously reported TBTQ systems. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been conducted for three different [C₆₀?TBTQ] complexes to resolve this. Because of the dominating dispersive interactions, the binding energies increase with the contact area between guest and host, however, only for rigid host structures. By means of free‐energy calculations with an explicit solvent model it can be shown that the novel flexible TBTQ receptor 3 binds weakly because of hampering entropic contributions.     

Structure‐Dependent Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Fullerodendrimers with Light‐Harvesting Oligophenylenevinylene Terminals

Oligophenylenevinylene (OPV)‐terminated phenylenevinylene dendrons G1 – G4 with one, two, four, and eight “side‐arms”, respectively, were prepared and attached to C₆₀ by a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides generated in situ from dendritic aldehydes and N‐methylglycine. The relative electronic absorption of the OPV moiety increases progressively along the fullerodendrimer family C₆₀G1 – C₆₀G4 , reaching a 99:1 ratio for C₆₀G4 (antenna effect). UV/Vis and near‐IR luminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy was used to elucidate photoinduced energy and electron transfer in C₆₀G1 – C₆₀G4 as a function of OPV moiety size and solvent polarity (toluene, dichloromethane, benzonitrile), taking into account the fact that the free‐energy change for electron transfer is the same along the series owing to the invariability of the donor–acceptor couple. Regardless of solvent, all the fullerodendrimers exhibit ultrafast OPV→C₆₀ singlet energy transfer. In CH₂Cl₂, the OPV→C₆₀ electron transfer from the lowest fullerene singlet level (¹C₆₀*) is slightly exergonic (ΔG_CS≈0.07 eV), but is observed, to an increasing extent, only in the largest systems C₆₀G2 – C₆₀G4 with lower activation barriers for electron transfer. This effect has been related to a decrease of the reorganization energy upon enlargement of the molecular architecture. Structural factors are also at the origin of an unprecedented OPV→C₆₀ electron transfer observed for C₆₀G3 and C₆₀G4 in apolar toluene, whereas in benzonitrile, electron transfer occurs in all cases. Monitoring of the lowest fullerene triplet state by sensitized singlet oxygen luminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy shows that this level is populated through intersystem crossing and is not involved in photoinduced electron transfer.     

Size Dependence of Nanoscale Confinement on Chiral Transformation

Molecular dynamic simulations of the chiral transition of a difluorobenzo[c]phenanthrene molecule (C₁₈H₁₂F₂, D molecule) in single‐walled boron‐nitride nanotubes (SWBNNTs) revealed remarkable effects of the nanoscale confinement. The critical temperature, above which the chiral transition occurs, increases considerably with the nanotube diameter, and the chiral transition frequency decreases almost exponentially with respect to the reciprocal of temperature. The chiral transitions correlate closely with the orientational transformations of the D molecule. Furthermore, the interaction energy barriers between the D molecule and the nanotube for different orientational states can characterize the chiral transition. This implies that the temperature threshold of a chiral transition can be controlled by a suitable nanotube. These findings provide new insights to the effect of nanoscale confinement on molecular chirality.     

Fullerene‐β‐Cyclodextrin Conjugate Based Electrochemical Sensing Device for Ultrasensitive Detection of p‐Nitrophenol

The article describes the use of a fullerene (C₆₀)‐β‐cyclodextrin conjugate, synthesized via 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition, for the ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of p‐nitrophenol. This conjugate was successfully immobilized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode and the developed device showed high activity towards p‐nitrophenol due to the synergetic effect of C₆₀, the latter becoming highly conductive upon reduction. The determination of p‐nitrophenol was performed by using square wave voltammetry over a concentration range from 2.8×10^?9 mol L^?1 to 4.2×10^?7 mol L^?1 and the detection limit was calculated to be 1.2×10^?9 mol L^?1.