Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Buckyballs
Juan L. Delgado, Salvatore Filippone, Francesco Giacalone, M
a
´
ngeles
Herranz, Beatriz Illescas, Emilio M. P
´
rez, and Nazario Mart
´
n
Abstract Buckyballs represent a new and fascinating molecular allotropic form of
carbon that has received a lot of attention by the chemical community during the
last two decades. The unabating interest on this singular family of highly strained
carbon spheres has allowed the establishing of the fundamental chemical reactivity
of these carbon cages and, therefore, a huge variety of fullerene derivatives
involving [60] and [70]fullerenes, higher fullerenes, and endohedral fullerenes
have been prepared. Much less is known, however, of the chemistry of the uncom-
mon non-IPR fullerenes which currently represent a scientific curiosity and which
could pave the way to a range of new fullerenes. In this review on buckyballs we
have mainly focused on the most recent and novel covalent chemistry of fullerenes
involving metal catalysis and asymmetric synthesis, as well as on some of the most
significant advances in supramolecular chemistry, namely H-bonded fullerene
assemblies and the search for efficient concave receptors for the convex surface
of fullerenes. Furthermore, we have also described the recent advances in the
macromolecular chemistry of fullerenes, that is, those polymer molecules endowed
