title: Buckminsterfullerenes: a non-metal system for nitrogen fixation.
abstract: In all nitrogen-fixation processes known so far--including the industrial Haber-Bosch process, biological fixation by nitrogenase enzymes and previously described homogeneous synthetic systems--the direct transformation of the stable, inert dinitrogen molecule (N2) into ammonia (NH3) relies on the powerful redox properties of metals. Here we show that nitrogen fixation can also be achieved by using a non-metallic buckminsterfullerene (C60) molecule, in the form of a water-soluble C60:gamma-cyclodextrin (1:2) complex, and light under nitrogen at atmospheric pressure. This metal-free system efficiently fixes nitrogen under mild conditions by making use of the redox properties of the fullerene derivative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishibayashi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takekuma
authors.forename: Hideko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takekuma
authors.forename: Zen-Ichi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D003505:Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation / Q000528:radiation effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000528:radiation effects; D047408:gamma-Cyclodextrins
chemical_list: D003505:Cyclodextrins; D037741:Fullerenes; D008670:Metals; D047408:gamma-Cyclodextrins; D000641:Ammonia; C023792:gamma-cyclodextrin; D009584:Nitrogen