Methods for the chemical synthesis of fullerenes.

C(60) has been synthesized by chemical methods in 12 steps. Lessons learned in the author's laboratory during a decade devoted to the synthesis and study of open geodesic polyarenes strongly influenced the strategy and methodology ultimately employed for preparing a suitable 60-carbon precursor and for closing it up to the fullerene ball. This review provides a personal account of how the new synthetic tools were developed and put to use.