FULLERENES FORMATION FROM AROMATIC PRECURSORS BY A SURFACE CATALYSED CYCLODEHYDROGENATION PROCESS

Controlled synthesis of fullerenes and heterofullerenes on surfaces is a preceding step towards the development of a true fullerene-based molecular electronics. New methods are required for the rational, size-controlled synthesis of fullerenes, heterofullerenes, and endohedral fullerenes that cannot be accessed by the current method of graphite vaporization. Recently, pioneering experiments have shown that C60 fullerene can be formed by flash vacuum pyrolysis of a trichlorinated precursor C60H57Cl3. However, this precursor was prepared in 11 steps from commercially available materials and the final dehydrogenation/dehydrochlorination proceeds in the gas phase in ca. 0.1-1.0% yield 1 .