Skip to main content
Skip header
Report expired on 13. 9. 2022!

Scientists have discovered the nature of the reaction between fullerene and piperidine

Scientists have discovered the nature of the reaction between fullerene and piperidine
Scientists from the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) of Palacký University Olomouc, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB) and VSB – Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO) have added an important piece to the puzzle of the reaction of fullerene and piperidine, in which nanomaterial dissolves.

They scrutinized reactions between secondary amines (piperidine) and fullerene consisting of 60 carbon atoms on the basis of theoretical calculations as well as experiments. They demonstrated that if the reaction occurs without oxygen, the formation of a complex with a N→C dative bond occurs. In the presence of oxygen, the reaction continues to produce addition reaction products. The researchers published their results in two papers in the prestigious journals JACS and Angewandte Chemie.

Fullerene was the first nanomaterial discovered to open the door to nanotechnology. The discovery and study of the properties of fullerenes was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996. It is one of the most widely studied materials due to its unique properties. However, its wider application is still hampered by its relatively low solubility. One of the known solvents that can be used successfully with fullerene is piperidine.

Fullerene was known to be soluble in piperidine, but we never knew why. We have now found out, using theoretical calculations and experimental methods, that this is a very specific bond whose character is affected by the presence of oxygen,” said theoretical chemist Pavel Hobza, who, in addition to IOCB, also works in the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center at VSB-TUO.

The electronic structures of the dative bond complexes and the addition reaction products are fundamentally different. The findings may contribute to further applications of the nanomaterial.

As described in both articles, the results raise the possibility of controlled functionalisation of one of the most well-known nanomaterials. Understanding the interaction of fullerene with organic molecules opens the door to the applicability of fullerene, in energy storage facilities for example,” said another author Radek Zbořil from CATRIN and the Nanotechnology Centre at VSB-T

Created: 13. 9. 2021
Category:  News
Department: 9390 - Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies
Back