Fullerene Based Supermolecular Assemblies

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports research by Professor Alan Balch at the University of California at Davis concerned with the synthesis, structure, and characterization of assemblies of fullerenes into larger molecules. Procedures will be developed for the formation of nano-scale molecular materials that contain two or more fullerenes connected by a variety of transition metal complexes as bridging groups with donor groups (amine, phosphines) positioned close to the fullerene surface. These assemblies will be examined by X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry and their chemical reactivity will be determined, particularly with regard to cage coupling reactions. These studies will help to provide models for the types of metal binding sites that are present in the redox-active films resulting from the reduction of fullerenes in the presence of metal complexes such as Pd(acetate)2. The endohedral fullerene aspects of research involve an active collaboration with professor Harry Dorn at Virginia Tech. The broader impacts of this work involve the education of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students in synthetic and structural supramolecular chemistry. As fullerenes and endohedral fullerenes are likely to be produced in bulk quantities, they are under active investigation for biomedical applications as MRI agents and as carriers of radiopharmaceuticals, as well as electronic applications.