Hot Article: Buckyballs drive electron transfer for solar energy

11 Oct 2010

David Schuster, Jackson Megiatto and Robert Spencer have developed a powerful and versatile new methodology for the preparation of nanoscale photoactive interlocked structures with appended [60]fullerene groups. The group from New York University used a straightforward one-pot procedure based on Cu(I)-template synthesis and “click” chemistry.

The use of organic materials for absorption of solar energy and conversion into high energy charge-separated carriers has been reproduced in the laboratory by carefully designed artificial arrays containing electron donor and acceptor (D–A) subunits. The synthetic achievements described in this paper open the door to the preparation of nanoscale D–A materials with rotaxane and catenane topologies not accessible previously. Introduction of C60 groups in interlocked structures generates the driving force allowing electron transfer reactions to occur over very long distances.

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