title: New M(3)N@C(2n) endohedral metallofullerene families (M=Nd, Pr, Ce; n=40-53): expanding the preferential templating of the C(88) cage and approaching the C(96) cage.
abstract: Three new families of trimetallic nitride template endohedral metallofullerenes (TNT EMFs), based on cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium clusters, were synthesized by vaporizing packed graphite rods in a conventional Krätschmer-Huffman arc reactor. Each of these families of metallofullerenes was identified and characterized by mass spectroscopy, HPLC, UV/Vis-NIR spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The mass spectra and HPLC chromatograms show that these larger metallic clusters are preferentially encapsulated by a C(88) cage. When the size of the cluster is increased, the C(96) cage is progressively favored over the predominant C(88) cage. It is also observed that the smaller cages (C(80)-C(86)) almost disappear on going from neodymium to cerium endohedral metallofullerenes. The UV/Vis-NIR spectra and cyclic voltammograms confirm the low HOMO-LUMO gap and reversible electrochemistry of these M(3)N@C(88) metallofullerenes.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Clemson University, 219 Hunter Laboratories, Clemson, SC 29630-0973, USA.
authors.forename: Manuel N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Chaur
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melin
authors.forename: Bevan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Amar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumbhar
authors.forename: Andreas J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Athans
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Echegoyen