Recent Progress on the Functionalization of Endohedral Metallofullerenes

Abstract

Functionalization of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) plays an important role in exploring the reactivity of EMFs and stabilizing missing EMFs, thus conferring tunable properties and turning EMFs into applicable materials. In this review, we present exhaustive progress on the functionalization of EMFs since 2019. Classic functionalization reactions include Prato reactions, Bingel–Hirsch reactions, radical addition reactions, carbene addition reactions, and so on are summarized. And new complicated multi-component reactions and other creative reactions are presented as well. We also discuss the structural features of derivatives of EMFs and the corresponding reaction mechanisms to understand the reactivity and regioselectivity of EMFs. In the end, we make conclusions and put forward an outlook on the prospect of the functionalization of EMFs.

Capturing Unstable Metallofullerenes

“…The discovery of these novel structures will certainly renew our understandings to the coordination structures and physicochemical properties of metallofullerenes. It is worth noting that the chemical functionalization of metallofullerenes is a burgeoning field with a large variety of reactions already studied towards improved regioselectivity and physicochemical property modification [4,[118][119][120][121][122][123][124]. In this regard, the PhCH 2 and CF 3 addition reactions merely exemplify a proof of concept, with the vast possibilities in this direction using the currently available versatile chemical functionalization methods yet to be explored.…”