title: Non-HPLC rapid separation of metallofullerenes and empty cages with TiCl4 Lewis acid.
abstract: Rapid and efficient separation/purification of pure metallofullerenes M(x)@C(n) (M = metal; x = 1, 2; n > 70) and carbide metallofullerenes of the type M(y)C(2)@C(n-2) (y = 2, 3, 4; n - 2 > 68) has been reported. The present method utilizes rapid and almost perfect preferential formation of TiCl(4) (generally known as a Lewis acid)-metallofullerene complexes, which easily decompose to provide pure metallofullerene powders by a simple water treatment. The present method enables one to separate the metallofullerenes up to >99% purity within 10 min without using any type of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is found that the oxidation potentials of the metallofullerenes are crucial factors for efficient purification. The current separation/purification technique may open a brand-new era for inducing further applications and commercialization of endohedral metallofullerenes.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji 192-0397, Japan. kakiyama@tmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Tatsuyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Erina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubuki
authors.forename: Hisanori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinohara
mesh_terms: D005591:Chemical Fractionation / Q000379:methods*; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D058116:Lewis Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D037741:Fullerenes; D058116:Lewis Acids; D008670:Metals; C025096:titanium tetrachloride; D014025:Titanium