Analysis of C60 and C70 fullerenes using high-performance liquid chromatography–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The performance of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) detection coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of C₆₀ and C₇₀ fullerenes was investigated. The isocratic separation method involved an octadecylsilane (ODS) column and an acetonitrile–toluene (1:1) mobile phase. The hyphenated system was designed with a split valve to control eluent volume leading to the FT-IR detector; this allowed for additional coupling of the liquid chromatograph to ultraviolet–visible detection. On-line FT-IR spectra of C₆₀ and C₇₀ were matched with standard off-line FT-IR spectra from the literature. In addition, with band chromatograms individual fullerenes can be identified using FT-IR active modes known specifically for each fullerene. Few changes to a pre-existing HPLC–UV method were necessary for the HPLC–FT-IR method, and there was no need for fraction collection to identify the fullerenes C₆₀ and C₇₀.     

The support and characterization of C60 and MoO3 on Al2O3

A new type of catalyst from supporting C₆₀ on MoO₃ and Al₂O₃ has been prepared. The effect of different order of impregnation and calcination atmosphere on catalyst are investigated by the solution test in toluene, UV-VIS spectroscopy and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). The results show that when the catalyst was prepared by supporting MoO₃ on C₆₀/Al₂O₃ and calcined in N₂, there is a stronger interaction between C₆₀, MoO₃ and Al₂O₃, but when supporting C₆₀ on MoO₃/Al₂O₃, the interaction is relatively weak. We consider that in the former method a new complex, Mo–C₆₀–O–Al, is formed.     

Synthesis and reactivity of [N(C6H4Br)3][B(C6F5)4]: the X-ray crystal structure of [Fe(C5H5)2][B(C6F5)4]

A new chemical oxidant [N(4-C₆H₄Br)₃][B(C₆F₅)₄], was prepared and used to synthesize [Fe(C₅H₅)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄]. The crystal structure of [Fe(C₅H₅)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] was determined.     

Comparison studies of fullerenes C72, C74, C76 and C78 by tight-binding Monte Carlo and quantum chemical methods

From C₇₂ to C₇₈, the top 20 low-energy isomers screened out from all isomers of each fullerene are optimized and computed by tight-binding Monte Carlo (TBMC), semi-empirical PM3, and ab initio B3LYP/6-31G*//HF/3-21G methods. The comparison results show that the TBMC method can efficiently optimize the structures and correctly predicate the low energy isomers. The relative energies computed by TBMC are in good agreement with the high-lever B3LYP calculation results. Our TBMC and B3LYP results show that the most energetically favorable structure of C₇₂ is not an isomer satisfying the isolated pentagon rule (IPR), which is different with the result by PM3. The symmetry of the most stable IPR isomer tends to low as the fullerene becomes large and several non-isolated-pentagon structures are found to have low symmetries and low energies close to the most stable isomer.     

Sulfur-containing dihydro-pyrrolo [60]fullerene derivatives via 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of glycine imine esters to C60

C₆₀ reacts thermally with 1,3-dipoles, formed in situ, from sulfide-bearing imines of glycine esters, and affords dihydro-pyrrolo [60]fullerene derivatives containing a vinylic sulfide group, which were isolated in good yields, and characterized with ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopies, and with FAB, ESI mass spectrometries. The new derivatives contain a sulfide, an imine, and an ester functionality for further chemical transformations. Mechanistic considerations with regard to the loss of a mercaptan molecule in the course of the cycloaddition are deployed.     

Synthesis and molecular structures of heptafluoroisopropylated fullerenes: C60(i-C3F7)8, C60(i-C3F7)6, and C60(CF3)2(i-C3F7)2

One isomer of C₆₀(i-C₃F₇)₈, three isomers of C₆₀(i-C₃F₇)₆, and the first mixed perfluoroalkylated fullerene, C₆₀(CF₃)₂(i-C₃F₇)₂, have been isolated by HPLC from a mixture prepared by reaction of C₆₀ with heptafluoroisopropyl iodide in a glass ampoule at 260-290 °C. The molecular structures of the four new compounds have been determined by means of X-ray single crystal diffraction partially also by use of synchrotron radiation. Theoretical calculations at the DFT level of theory have been employed to rationalize the energetics of isomers and of C₆₀-R_f binding.     

C60 and carbon: a postbuckminsterfullerene perspective

The discovery of the fullerenes and nanotubes has completely changed our perspective on various aspects of carbon chemistry and materials science in quite fundamental ways. The experiments, which uncovered C₆₀, occurred between 1985 and 1990 and there are lessons to be learned of various kinds over the way scientific advances occur and more importantly the way misconceptions can propagate. For instance much of our received wisdom over the behaviour of carbon, in particular graphite on a microscopic scale, was really quite ill-conceived and certainly misleading. Questions might be asked as to why it took almost till the end of the 20th century for the fact to be uncovered that the elegant C₆₀ molecule had been lurking in the dark shadows of soot chemistry all the time. After all, mass spectrometric techniques were sufficiently advanced for the discovery to have been made in the 1960’s—perhaps even earlier. Some of these issues are addressed here and the discussion gives an insight into the curiously unpredictable way fundamental scientific advances sometimes occur and also highlights the limitations of applied research in this case.     

Binary systems of C60 with positional isomers 1,2- and 1,3-C6H4Br2

Thermodynamic properties of binary systems of C₆₀ with 1,2- and 1,3-dibromobenzenes have been studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Solid solvates with the compositions C₆₀3(1,2-C₆H₄Br₂); C₆₀2(1,3-C₆H₄Br₂) and C₆₀0.6(1,3-C₆H₄Br₂) have been found. The solvates have been characterised by their enthalpies and temperatures of incongruent melting transition and in part by X-ray powder data. It has been shown that positional isomers 1,2- and 1,3- of the substituted benzenes formed two series of “typical” phase diagrams. Solubility behaviour of C₆₀ in positional isomers has been discussed.     

Donor–acceptor interaction of fullerene C60 with triptycene in molecular complex TPC·C60

A molecular complex of fullerene C₆₀ with triptycene, TPC·C₆₀ is obtained. The complex has a three-dimensional packing of C₆₀ molecules. According to the IR spectra, the freezing of free rotation of C₆₀ molecules in the complex is maintained up to 360 K. The XP-spectra of TPC·C₆₀ show the suppression of π–π^* transitions of TPC phenylene rings. The separation of C₆₀ molecules by TPC ones in TPC·C₆₀ results in low intensity of the C₆₀ transitions in the 420–500 nm range in an optical spectrum. This absorption is assumed as that attributed to intermolecular transitions between adjacent C₆₀ molecules.     

C60 trianion-mediated electrocatalysis and amperometric sensing of hydrogen peroxide

Heterogeneous electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by C₆₀ is reported for the first time. C₆₀ is embedded in tetraoctylammonium bromide (TOAB) film and is characterized by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Electrocatalytic studies show that the trianion of C₆₀ mediates the electrocatalytic reduction of H₂O₂ in aqueous solution containing 0.1 M KCl. Application of such film modified electrode as an amperometric sensor for H₂O₂ determination is also examined. The sensor shows a fast response within 1 s and a linear response is obtained (R = 0.9986) in the concentration range from 3.33 × 10⁻⁵ to 2.05 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹ for H₂O₂, with the detection limit of 2 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ and the sensitivity of 1.65 μA mM⁻¹. A good repeatability and stability is shown for the sensor during the experiment.     

Surface-enhanced vibrational Raman spectroscopy of C60 and C70 on rough silver surfaces

The observation of the surface-enhanced vibrational Raman spectra of vapor-deposited C₆₀ and C₇₀ on rough silver films is reported. Both near-monolayer and multilayer films of pure C₆₀ and of C₆₀/C₇₀ mixtures are studied. The films are obtained by evaporating fullerene samples at temperatures of 683–875 K in ultra-high vacuum. Mixed fullerene samples were greatly enriched in C₇₀ by making use of the slightly different vapor pressures of the two major components at the low end of this temperature range. The spectra contain all the lines of the normal Raman spectra as well as several additional lines caused by a reduction in the stringency of the normal Raman selection rules. These results demonstrate the potential of this technique for detecting small quantities of fullerenes and obtaining their vibrational spectra.     

C60Co(Pph3)2的合成和表征

The fullerene complexe C₆₀Co(Pph₃)₂ has been prepared by the reaction of C₆₀ with CoCl₂(Pph₃)₂ under a nitrogen atmosphere and refluxing， and characterized by elemental analyses， FT-IR， XPS， NMR， which appove that C₆₀ coordinates to Co(Pph₃)₂ group in σ-π pattern and the electron is super conjugate over whole molecule. The result of redox property study show that the reduction potentiel of C₆₀Co(Pph₃)₂ is more negative than that of C₆₀， the reason may be the π electron dentensity of C₆₀ in C₆₀Co(Pph₃)₂ increases， which lead to it′s electron affinity decreasing. The thermostability experiment indicates that the oxidation decomposition temperature of C₆₀Co(Pph₃)₂ is lower than that of pure C₆₀.     

C60F14OFPh3, a fluoroxy derivative of C60F15Ph3; evidence for the presence of ‘missing’ fluorine through restricted rotation of a phenyl group

From the reaction of C₆₀F₁₈ with benzene in the presence of SbCl₅ we have isolated a compound of 1252 amu indicated to be C₆₀F₁₄OFPh₃, a fluoroxyfullerene. Temperature-variable ¹H NMR shows that one phenyl group suffers restricted rotation on cooling to 218 K, attributed to the presence of the OF group which, as in the case of the recently characterised C₆₀F₁₇OF, fails to give a signal for this group in the ¹⁹F NMR. We have isolated also, C₆₀F₁₄O₂FPh₃ (1268 amu) a mixture of oxahomo derivatives of C₆₀F₁₄OFPh₃ arising from oxygen insertion into FCCF bonds. Theoretical calculations for C₆₀F₁₄OFPh₃ indicate that the phenyl group nearest to the OF group is twisted out of the plane containing the other two.     

Synthesis and molecular structures of heptafluoropropylated fullerenes: C70(n-C3F7)8, C70(n-C3F7)6O, and C70(C3F7)4

Ampoule reactions of C₇₀ with n- and i-C₃F₇I were carried out at 250-310 °C. Two step HPLC separations allowed the isolation of several C₇₀(n-C₃F₇)_4-8 and C₇₀(i-C₃F₇)₄ compounds. Crystal and molecular structures of C₇₀(n-C₃F₇)₈-V, C₇₀(n-C₃F₇)₆O, C₇₀(n-C₃F₇)₄, and three isomers of C₇₀(i-C₃F₇)₄ have been determined by X-ray crystallography using synchrotron radiation. Molecular structures of the new compounds were compared with the known examples and discussed in terms of addition patterns and relative energies of their formation.     

Facile and efficient synthesis of fluorinated fullerene-fused 1,3-dioxolanes: reaction of C60 with fluorinated aromatic aldehyde mediated by lithium perchlorate

A series of fluorinated fullerene-fused 1,3-dioxolanes have been facilely and efficiently synthesized in the presence of easily available LiClO₄·3H₂O. The influences of the number of fluoro-substituents and their positions linked to the phenyl ring on the isolated yield of fullerene-fused 1,3-dioxolanes have been studied in detail. Based on reaction facts, a possible reaction mechanism for the formation of fluorinated fullerene-fused 1,3-dioxolanes has been proposed. Furthermore, detailed ultraviolet absorption spectra, fluorescence emission spectra, and cyclic voltammogram further explain the optical properties and electronic transmission capabilities of the products.     

Isolation and characterisation of both the first fluoroxyfluorofullerene C60F17OF and oxahomofluorofullerenol C60F17O.OH

The first fluoroxyfluorofullerene C₆₀F₁₇OF (A) has been isolated from the fluorination of [60]fullerene with a mixture of MnF₃ and K₂NiF₆ at 480 °C. This compound has a shorter HPLC retention time than the isomeric fluorofullerene ethers (oxahomofullerenes) and is less stable towards EI mass spectrometry. It fragments by losing OF as a single entity and shows no formation of C₆₀O as a fragment ion. By contrast, the ethers fragment by first losing a number of F atoms and then CO, and ultimately show also the presence of C₆₀O, whilst epoxides lose CO as a main fragmentation step and do not give C₆₀O. The first oxahomofluorofullerenol C₆₀F₁₇O.OH (B) has been isolated from the UV-irradiation of a toluene solution of C₆₀F₁₈ in air during 65 h and readily eliminates HF due to adjacent F and OH groups during EI mass spectrometry. The structures of both the compounds have been deduced from 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Just as oxygen inserts into FCCF bonds of C₆₀F₁₈ to give ethers, so insertion into a CF bond gives A. The oxahomofluorofullerenol B is produced by S_N2′ substitution of F by OH, followed by oxygen insertion into a 6:5-bond (αβ to the OH group) giving a motif not seen previously in fluorofullerenes.     

Synthesis of C60 derivatives for photoaffinity labeling

In order to study the interaction of fullerenes with biological molecules, a novel photoaffinity labeling agent derived from C₆₀ was designed and synthesized. As photosensitive functional groups, azide group, and aziridine group are utilized. A convenient synthetic route via fulleropyrrolidine 2 was employed to obtain compounds labeling agents 5 and 9.     

Comment on nuclear spin weights of C60 and C60 buckminsterfullerene

The nuclear spin statistical weights obtained in a Letter by Harter and Reimer differ from the values obtained by the author a year earlier. However, the corrected numbers reported in the Erratum by Harter and Reimer agree with our values.     

Semiempirical molecular dynamics studies of C60/C70 fullerene oxides: C60O, C60O2 and C70O

The spectral analysis indicates that all isomers of C₆₀O, C₇₀O and C₆₀O₂ have an epoxide-like structure (an oxygen atom bridging across a C–C bond). According to the geometrical structure analysis, there are two isomers of fullerene monoxide C₆₀O (the 5,6 bond and the 6,6 bond), eight isomers of fullerene monoxide C₇₀O and eight isomers of fullerene dioxide C₆₀O₂. In order to simulate the real reaction conditions at 300 K, the calculation of the different isomers of C₆₀O, C₆₀O₂ and C₇₀O fullerene oxides was carried out using the semiempirical molecular dynamics method with two different approaches: (a) consideration of the geometries and thermodynamic stabilities, and (b) consideration of the ozonolysis mechanism. According to the semiempirical molecular dynamic calculation analysis, the probable product of this ozonolysis reaction is C₆₀O with oxygen bridging over the 6–6 bond (C_2v). The most probable product in this reaction contains oxygen bridging across in the upper part of C₇₀ (6–6 bond in C₇₀O-2 or C₇₀O-4) an epoxide-like structure. C₆₀O₂-1, C₆₀O₂-3 and C₆₀O₂-5 are the most probable products for the fullerene dioxides. All of these reaction products are consistent with the experimental results. It is confirmed that the calculation results with the semiempirical molecular dynamics method are close to the experimental work. The semiempirical molecular dynamics method can offer both the reaction temperature effect by molecular dynamics and electronic structure, dipole moment by quantum chemistry calculation.     

Electrochemistry of P(CH2Fc)3 and derivatives

The oxidative electrochemistry of P(CH₂Fc)₃ and three of its derivatives was examined. The electrochemistry of these compounds is sensitive to the functionality added to the phosphorus lone pair and the supporting electrolyte used.