Retrieving Precursors Toward Endohedral Metallofullerenes

Abstract

A series of intermediates such as C6, C1 0 and C16 have been retrieved by chlorination from the crude soot of carbon arc, affording insight into endofullerene formation. Identified by HPLC-MS and UV/Vis, production of perchlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as C6Cl6, C1 0C8, and C16Cl10 from the reaction involving ICl with the crude soot of carbon arc heavily depends on formation of endofullerenes, as exemplified by the arc-discharge synthesis of metallofullerenes encapsulating with lanthanum or dysprosium. The perchlorinated PAHs reduce dramatically in chlorination of the pristine soot in the control trials with arc-discharge of graphite in absence of the typical encapsulated metals, with implication about the polycyclic carbon skeletons (i.e. C6, C1 0, C16) originating from the precursors toward endohedral metallofullerens. The work facilitates the understanding of how and what metals encapsulatable in the fullerene cage.