A series of solvent-coordinated tin halide complexes were prepared as impurity-free precursors for tin halide perovskites, and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Using these precursors, the tin halide perovskites, MASnI 3 and FASnI 3 , were prepared, and their electronic structures and photophysical properties were examined under inert conditions by means of photoelectron yield spectroscopy as well as absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. Their valence bands (MASnI 3 : −5.02 eV; FASnI 3 : −5.16 eV) are significantly higher than those of MAPbI 3 or the typical hole-transporting materials 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis( N , N -di- p -methoxyphenylamino)-9,9′-spirobifluorene and poly(bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine). These results suggest that to develop the solar cells using these tin halide perovskites with efficient hole-collection properties, hole-transporting materials should be chosen that have the highest occupied molecular orbital levels higher than −5.0 eV.

The macroscopic-scale syntheses of the first endohedral aza[60]fullerenes X@C59N (X = H2O, H2) were achieved in two different ways: (1) synthesis from endohedral fullerene H2O@C60 as a starting material and (2) molecular surgical synthesis from a C59N precursor having a considerably small opening. In the neutral state of H2O@C59N, we expected the H-bonding interaction or repulsive N-O interaction between entrapped H2O and a nitrogen atom on the C59N cage. However, an attractive electrostatic N-O interaction was suggested from the results of variable temperature NMR, nuclear magnetic relaxation times (T1, T2), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Upon the reaction with acetone via cationic intermediate C59N(+), we found a difference in reaction rates between H2O@C59N and H2@C59N dimers (observed reaction rates: k'(H2O)/k'(H2) = 1.74 ± 0.16). The DFT calculations showed thermal stabilization of C59N(+) by entrapped H2O through the electrostatic interaction.

A reactive radical species, nitric oxide (NO), was encapsulated in a unimolecular form inside an open-cage fullerene derivative under high-pressure conditions in the solid state. Surprisingly, the molecular complex showed sharp H NMR signals despite the existence of the paramagnetic species inside the carbon cage. Owing to the paramagnetic shifts, the escape rate of the NO was determined experimentally. After constructing a stopper on the rim of the opening, the NO was found to stay inside the cage even at 50 °C. The ESR measurements of the powdery sample showed paramagnetic properties at low temperature. The single-crystal X-ray structure analysis clearly demonstrated the existence of the encapsulated NO molecule, suggesting rapid rotation inside the cage. The H NMR chemical shifts displayed a large temperature dependence owing to the paramagnetic effects.