Synthesis and Chemistry of Endohedral Fullerenes

Endohedral fullerenes are remarkable molecules that offer a unique paradigm in the molecular world: the trapping of atom(s) or clusters in a 3-dimensional, almost perfectly symmetrical structure. The electron deficient nature of the fullerene surface makes it amenable to a range of chemical reactions. Hence the fullerene can obtain functionality and become a building block of larger molecular structures. Careful engineering of the endohedral species and of the exohedral adduct can modify the electronic, optical, as well as chemical and physical properties of the molecule. The last few years have seen an increase in the chemical functionalization of these molecules. The present article reviews the current state-of-the-art in the synthesis and chemistry of endohedral fullerenes with particular focus on endohedral nitrogen fullerenes such as N@C60.