Planar quinary cluster inside a fullerene cage: synthesis and structural characterizations of Sc(3)NC@C(80)-I(h)

J Am Chem Soc. 2010 Nov 24;132(46):16362-4. doi: 10.1021/ja107843b. Epub 2010 Nov 3.

Abstract

The endohedral fullerene Sc(3)NC@C(80)-I(h) has been synthesized and characterized; it has an unprecedented planar quinary cluster in a fullerene cage. It is also the first chemical compound in which the presence of an unprecedented (NC)(3-) trianion has been disclosed. The fascinating intramolecular dynamics in Sc(3)NC@C(80)-I(h) enables the whole molecule to display high polarity and promising ferroelectricity. This finding inspires the possibility that such a planar quinary cluster may be useful in constructing many other endohedral fullerenes.