Analysis of the reactivity and selectivity of fullerene dimerization reactions at the atomic level
Author: ["Masanori Koshino","Yoshiko Niimi","Eiichi Nakamura","Hiromichi Kataura","Toshiya Okazaki","Kazutomo Suenaga","Sumio Iijima"]
Publication: Nature Chemistry
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Abstract
High-resolution transmission electron microscopy has proved useful for its ability to provide time-resolved images of small molecules and their movements. One of the next challenges in this area is to visualize chemical reactions by monitoring time-dependent changes in the atomic positions of reacting molecules. Such images may provide information that is not available with other experimental methods. Here we report a study on bimolecular reactions of fullerene and metallofullerene molecules inside carbon nanotubes as a function of electron dose. Images of how the fullerenes move during the dimerization process reveal the specific orientations in which two molecules interact, as well as how bond reorganization occurs after their initial contact. Studies on the concentration, specimen temperature, effect of catalyst and accelerating voltage indicate that the reactions can be imaged under a variety of conditions. Well-resolved images of small molecules and their motions can be obtained with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It has now been shown that this technique can also be used to visualize individual chemical reactions involving the dimerization of fullerenes and metallo-fullerenes trapped inside carbon nanotubes by monitoring how the positions of their atoms change over time.
Cite this article
Koshino, M., Niimi, Y., Nakamura, E. et al. Analysis of the reactivity and selectivity of fullerene dimerization reactions at the atomic level. Nature Chem 2, 117–124 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.482
