Chiroptical Response of Carbon Nanocages Enhanced by Achiral Guests

Abstract

Opening up [60]fullerene makes itself inherently chiral without loss of congenital π‐conjugation. An immoderately large aperture on [60]fullerene, however, renders the molecule less rigid and therefore it would reduce dissymmetry factors. Herein, we examined supramolecular technique in geometrical reinforcement of chiral open‐[60]fullerenes by encasing achiral guests such as Ar,‐CO2, and CH3CN. At a lowest‐energy transition, we confirmed a guest‐dependency on chiroptical responses with increasing a dissymmetry factor by nearly twice to three times. It should be noted that the guests play a negligible role in electronic structures of the carbon cages. Instead, they are engaged in preclusion of an orifice shrinking not to reduce chiroptical response.