Synthesis and Properties of Open Fullerenes Encapsulating Ammonia and Methane.

We describe the synthesis and characterisation of open fullerene (1) and its reduced form (2) in which CH4 and NH3 are encapsulated, respectively. The 1 H NMR resonance of endohedral NH3 is broadened by scalar coupling to the quadrupolar 14 N nucleus, which relaxes rapidly. This broadening is absent for small satellite peaks, which are attributed to natural abundance 15 N. The influence of the scalar relaxation mechanism on the linewidth of the 1 H ammonia resonance is probed by variable temperature NMR. A rotational correlation time of τc =1.5 ps. is determined for endohedral NH3 , and of τc =57±5 ps. for the open fullerene, indicating free rotation of the encapsulated molecule. IR spectroscopy of NH3 @2 at 5 K identifies three vibrations of NH3 (ν1 , ν3 and ν4 ) redshifted in comparison with free NH3 , and temperature dependence of the IR peak intensity indicates the presence of a large number of excited translational/ rotational states. Variable temperature 1 H NMR spectra indicate that endohedral CH4 is also able to rotate freely at 223 K, on the NMR timescale. Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectra of CH4 @1 show both rotational and translational modes of CH4 . Energy of the first excited rotational state (J=1) of CH4 @1 is significantly lower than that of free CH4 .

Introduction

The potential for encapsulation of an atom or small molecule within the cavity of spherical fullerenes, has long been recognized.1 The inert and highly symmetric, three‐dimensional environment of the cavity, means that enclosed (endohedral) species are expected to behave much as they would in the very low pressure gas state, with preservation of free rotation down to cryogenic temperatures.2 Although direct synthesis of endohedral metallofullerenes,3 and fullerenes containing individual atoms (noble gas@C60 4 and the remarkable N@C60 5) is possible in very low yield, currently the only high‐yielding route to small molecule endofullerenes is via the process of “molecular surgery”6 whereby chemical transformations are used to open a hole in the fullerene, a molecule is inserted, and a further series of reactions is then used to suture the opening and reform the pristine fullerene shell. To date, this has only been achieved for the incorporation of H2,7 H2O8 and HF,9 as well as their related isotopologues.

Encapsulated H2 and H2O have proven particularly interesting due to the interaction of their nuclear spin and rotational states. Due to the Pauli principle, the ortho‐ (nuclear spins aligned) and para‐ (nuclear spins opposed) allotropes are limited to odd and even rotational states, respectively. For H2O@C60, isolation contributes to long lived ortho‐ and para‐spin states and has allowed their interconversion and physical phenomenon such as spin dependent electric polarizability to be measured.10

A range of larger molecules including N2,11, 12, 13 O2,14 CO,13, 15 NH3,16 CO2,11 CH4,17 CH2O,18, 19 CH3OH,18 HCN,19, 20 and HCCH20 have been incorporated into open fullerenes via a larger opening in the shell, but closure to reform the pristine fullerene cage has not yet been achieved for these examples. Although the high symmetry of the closed cage is lost in these open derivatives, many other properties including isolation are retained.21

Encapsulated NH3 and CH4 are of particular interest because (as with H2O and H2) their symmetry leads to interaction between the rotational (J) and nuclear spin (I) quantum states. Methane exists as three nuclear spin isomers (with overall spin 2, 1 and 0) such that the ground rotational state (J=0) can only be occupied by meta‐CH4 (I=2), whereas the J=1 state is limited to ortho‐CH4 (I=1). Ammonia exists as the para (I=1/2) and ortho (I=3/2) nuclear spin isomers which dictate permitted transitions between rotational and vibrational states, with the “umbrella” inversion being particularly interesting.

Herein we describe encapsulation of CH4 in open fullerene 1, and NH3 in open fullerene 2 (Figure 1), and some properties of the resulting species CH4@1 and NH3@2. Encapsulation of H2O,12 CH2O,18 CH3OH,18 N2,11 and CO2 11 in 1 has been reported, as has encapsulation of CH2O,18 CO2,11 O2 14 and N2 11 in 2 following reduction of 1 to avoid loss of the endohedral molecule. Both NH3 and CH4 have previously been incorporated in the unrelated open fullerene 3.16, 17

Figure 1

Open fullerenes.

Results and Discussion

Synthesis of CH4@ Open Fullerene

Heating the open‐cage fullerene 1 12 at 200 °C for 68 h, under 153 atm of methane gave CH4@1 with 65 % encapsulation of the endohedral molecule in quantitative yield (Scheme 1). The filling factor of CH4@1 was established by comparison of integrated resonances for CH4 and an exohedral alkene proton in the 1H NMR spectrum. For comparison, CH4@3 was prepared by Iwamatsu and co‐workers in 20 % yield and 39 % incorporation, after 20 h at 200 °C under 190 atm of CH4.17

Scheme 1

Filling of fullerene 1 with methane.

The rate of loss of CH4 from CH4@1 was measured at several temperatures between 428 and 448 K and displayed the expected 1st order kinetics. From the linear Arrhenius and Eyring plots (Figure 2), an activation energy of 134.6±5.0 kJ mol−1 and pre‐exponential factor log(A) of 10.9 was determined. The latter is low for a unimolecular reaction, but comparable for those previously observed for loss of endohedral atoms and molecules from endohedral fullerenes.13 The enthalpy and entropy of activation for CH4 loss were determined to be ΔH ≠=131.0±5.0 kJ mol−1 and ΔS ≠=−47.0±11.2 J K−1 mol−1 giving a ΔG ≠ at 165 °C of 151.5±0.1 kJ mol−1. The values are in good agreement with those calculated by Density Functional Theory methods (ΔH ≠=135.9 kJ mol−1; ΔS ≠=−31.5 J K−1 mol−1; ΔG ≠=149.7 kJ mol−1 at 165 °C). The negative entropy of activation is unusual for a dissociative reaction, but reflects the loss of rotational and translational degrees of freedom as the endohedral molecule is constrained by its passage through the orifice.

Figure 2

Arrhenius (black squares) and Eyring (grey circles) plots for thermal first‐order dissociation of CH4@1.

Physical Properties of CH4@ Open Fullerene

The 1H resonance of endohedral CH4 in CH4@1 appears as a sharp singlet at δ=−12.59 ppm (500 MHz, 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4) or −12.33 ppm (500 MHz, CDCl3), compared with δ=2.17 ppm for gaseous CH4.22 The 1H spectrum was acquired with a pulse delay (d1) of 30 s. following measurement of the experimental 1H spin‐lattice relaxation curve for CH4@1 which shows single exponential decay with a time constant of T 1=7.53±0.03 s. (see Supporting Information). Variable temperature proton NMR showed no line broadening down to 223 K (Figure 3) indicating free rotation of the endohedral methane on the NMR timescale. Temperature‐dependence of the 1H chemical shift is unexplained, but may be due to one or more configurations of different energy, in fast exchange on the NMR timescale.

Figure 3

A section of the experimental 1H NMR spectrum of 12.0 mm CH4@1 in degassed CDCl3 solution acquired at 11.7 T (500 MHz) with 64 transients at each temperature; 223 K, 263 K and 298 K. 13C satellites for the endohedral methane resonance are visible in each spectrum.

The 13C resonance of endohedral CH4 appears as a pentet, centred at δ=−19.47 ppm with 1 J CH=124.8 Hz, in the proton‐coupled 13C NMR spectrum (125.7 MHz, 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4) compared with δ=−8.65 ppm22 and 1 J CH=125.3 Hz23 for gaseous CH4.

Although CH4@1 is stable to loss of CH4 at room temperature, the “empty” open‐cage fullerene component 1 (i.e. 35 % of the material) was found to readily encapsulate water upon exposure to the atmosphere. Rapid exchange of a water molecule between the endo‐ and exohedral environments has been reported by Murata and co‐workers12 and is characterized by a very broad 1H resonance which we detect at δ=−11.62 ppm in 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4. Dry samples of the inseparable 65:35 mixture of CH4@1:1 were most readily obtained by removal of water as its azeotrope with THF.

INS spectra for dry CH4@1, covering a wide range of energy transfer, were recorded using the IN‐1 Lagrange, IN4c and IN6 spectrometers (Figures 4–6). INS spectra from a “blank” sample of open fullerene 1 were subtracted from those recorded on the sample containing CH4.

Figure 4

The INS spectrum of CH4@1 recorded on the time of flight (t.o.f.) spectrometer IN6, T=1.5, 5, 10, 20 K. Data with open black triangles depicts the elastic line with an intensity scaling factor ×0.04.

IN6 spectra (Figure 4) are presented, recorded with temperatures 1.5, 5, 10 and 20 K. A matching pair of inelastic peaks centred on |ΔE|=0.4 meV are observed in NE gain and NE loss. With FWHM (full‐width‐half‐maximum) linewidths of approximately 0.27 meV, the inelastic features are substantially broader than the resolution linewidth (FWHM 0.08 meV, as measured by the elastic line at zero energy transfer).

The IN4c spectrum (Figure 5) was recorded with incident wavelength λn=2.3 Å and T=1.6 K. A trio of peaks is observed in NE loss with energy transfer, ΔE=2.95, 4.65 and 6.85 meV. Finally, the IN1‐Lagrange spectrum (Figure 6) provides access to a wide range of energy, T=2.7 K. The same trio of low energy peaks observed on IN4c is evident, as well as a broad band at higher energy loss (ΔE=≈15 meV). Narrower components are evident within this broad band and indeed at higher energies.

Figure 5

The INS spectrum of CH4@1 recorded on the t.o.f. spectrometer IN4c. λn=2.3 Å and T=1.6 K.

Figure 6

The INS spectrum of CH4@1 recorded on IN1‐Lagrange. T=2.7 K.

The CH4 molecule is confined within the small space defined by the fullerene cage, so in addition to rotational degrees of freedom, the molecule also exhibits quantised translation. Analogously to INS investigations on other small molecule endofullerenes such as H2@C60 and H2O@C60,24 it is expected that the INS spectra of CH4@1 will comprise peaks arising from transitions among the quantised rotational and translational eigenstates of CH4 confined in its cage. However, unlike H2@C60 and H2O@C60, the open‐cage environment of CH4@1 means the cage potential experienced by the CH4 rotor lacks symmetry and is anisotropic.25

As a quantum rotor possessing four indistinguishable 1H nuclei (fermions), the permissible eigenstates of CH4 are classified by the Pauli Principle and we identify nuclear spin isomers for which rotational and nuclear spin eigenstates are entangled. In the free‐rotor limit (as applies to molecule of CH4 in the gas phase), the ground rotational state with rotational quantum number J=0 has A1 symmetry and total nuclear spin I=2. The first rotational excited J=1 state has F1 symmetry and I=1, with energy 1.29 meV. The second excited state with J=2 has energy 3.89 meV and comprises a degenerate pair of states, one with F2 symmetry and I=1, the second with E symmetry and I=0. The J=3 rotational state has energy 7.80 meV and comprises a trio of degenerate states with I=1 and I=2.26 While INS peaks of CH4@1 are observed in the complementary energy range below 10 meV (Figures 4–6), it is evident that they do not conform to those of a free‐rotor. Notably, the 0.4 meV excitation observed on IN6 (Figure 4) is much lower than the J=1 level of the free‐rotor. Indeed by analogy with investigations of hindered CH4 rotors,26, 27 where the energy of the J=1 state is significantly reduced from its free‐rotor value, we may assign the pair of |ΔE|=0.4 meV peaks to the J=0 to 1 rotational transition. The peaks at ΔE=2.95, 4.65 and 6.85 meV (Figures 5 and 6) are consistent with examples in the literature of J=0 to 2,3 transitions for hindered CH4.26 However, a full assignment of the higher energy rotational peaks is beyond the scope of this preliminary report and will be the subject of a future publication. Nevertheless, the pattern of low energy peaks appears to be similar to that found for CH4 in other hindered environments.26, 27

The ground to first excited state translational excitations of H2, H2O and HF confined in C60 are observed in the range 9≤ΔE≤25 meV.9a, 24d, 28 The precise values depend sensitively on the rotor mass and the cage potential. Additionally, given the latter is anisotropic for this open endofullerene, the degeneracy of the translational states is lifted and we expect to observe three translational peaks with different energy in the INS spectrum. We tentatively assign the broad band centred on 15 meV to these non‐degenerate translations and superimposed are some of the higher energy rotational states.

The anisotropy of the cage potential lifts the rotational degeneracy,25 leading to a splitting of the respective mJ sub‐states. We find evidence for this in the IN6 spectrum (Figure 4), where the inelastic peaks are significantly broader than the resolution function, indicating unresolved fine structure. That these peaks are inhomogenous and possess multiple components is indicated by the significant asymmetry of the NE peak at the lowest temperature 1.5 K, compared with the more symmetric shape observed at higher temperature. As determined by Boltzmann statistics, at 1.5 K different components on the high and low energy side of the 0.4 meV NE gain peak will differ in amplitude by a factor of order 3. This theoretical factor is consistent with the observed NE gain peak shape. At the higher temperatures these unresolved components have more equilibrated Boltzmann factors, as observed. Therefore, we tentatively assign the excess width of the J=0 to 1 rotational peaks to rotational fine structure.

On the timescale of the INS experiments (hours) we did not notice any significant changes which might be attributable to a change in the population of the J=0 (m‐CH4) and J=1 (o‐CH4) states, following thermal equilibration. It has been reported that conversion between these states for CH4 in an argon matrix, or in the interstices of C60 has t 1/2≈1.5–2.5 h.26, 29

Synthesis of NH3@ Open Fullerene

DFT calculations gave the activation free energy for entry of ammonia into open fullerene 1 at STP as 62.3 kJ mol−1, higher than that for water (30.7 kJ mol−1) but indicating that both will enter rapidly at room temperature nonetheless. The free energy of binding of ammonia in 1 was calculated to be 25 kJ mol−1 more favorable than that for water. We were pleased to find that exposure of a sample of fullerene 1 in CDCl3 to a 16 % aqueous ammonia solution led to an 85:15 molar ratio of NH3@1 and H2O@1 by 1H NMR, the spectrum displaying broad peaks at −12.44 and −11.52 ppm, respectively, indicating selective encapsulation of ammonia in accord with the calculation of binding energies. In order to avoid contamination with H2O‐containing species, we switched to a methanolic solution of ammonia as methanol is too large to enter 1 at room temperature.18 To our delight, rapid formation of NH3@1 was observed by NMR although attempts to isolate NH3@1 gave only the empty open fullerene (1). In contrast, isolation of NH3@3 (the only previously reported NH3@open fullerene species) was achieved by column chromatography with ammonia loss occurring only after several months at −10 °C.16 Our observation of the instability of NH3@1 to rapid ammonia loss at room temperature is in accord with Murata's conclusion11 that 1 behaves as if it has a larger orifice than 3, despite the cage‐opening being of nominally the same size, that is, a 17‐member ring.

The selective reduction of a carbonyl group on the orifice of 1 to afford 2 has been used to block the escape of O2, N2 and CO2 guests from the fullerene cage.11, 14 We therefore sought to develop conditions for the encapsulation of ammonia by host fullerene 1, with subsequent trapping of the endohedral NH3 by in situ reduction of a rim carbonyl group to afford NH3@2.

Treatment of a solution of 1 in 1,2‐dichlorobenzene with 10 equiv of a 7 n solution of NH3 in methanol at 0 °C, followed by reduction with NaBH4, afforded NH3@2 in 45 % yield with 92 % encapsulation of NH3 (Scheme 2). The filling factor was calculated by comparison of the integrated 1H resonance of the endohedral molecule, with that of an exohedral alkene proton. We found that the selective reduction step worked better in the 1,2‐dichlorobenzene solvent reported by Murata,11 than in chloroform. The ammonia encapsulation step was found to be sensitive to the period of exposure to NH3, with an optimal reaction time of 10 min. Lower NH3 encapsulation results from a shorter period (5 min. or 1 min. exposure to NH3 gives 80 % or 30 % filling, respectively), but with a reaction time >10 min. we observed the formation of multiple fullerene derivatives by 1H NMR. It is probable that these are hemiaminal by‐products since treatment with 1 m HCl (aq.) returns the mixture cleanly to a single compound whose 1H NMR spectrum matches that of 1. The formation of hemiaminal products in competition with NH3 encapsulation is likely to limit the filling by “blocking” the fullerene orifice but, importantly, the use of 1 m HCl (aq.) to quench the two‐step (encapsulation/reduction) procedure allows a clean mixture of NH3@2 and starting material 1 to be obtained. Unsurprisingly the encapsulation/reduction was found to be somewhat capricious, giving filling factors for NH3@2 in the range 74–92 % under nominally identical reaction conditions. Pure NH3@2 (74–92 % filled) was readily obtained by column chromatography.

Scheme 2

Synthesis of NH3@2.

Physical Properties of NH3@ Open Fullerene

The NH3 proton resonance of NH3@2 was observed experimentally as a broad peak at δ=−12.35 ppm (500 MHz, [D2]dichloromethane) with a 38.43 Hz linewidth (Figure 7). The spectral wings are attributed to natural abundance 15NH3@2 (approx. 0.3 % intensity), shifted in frequency by a secondary isotope effect (1.5 ppb) and separated by |J 15NH|=59.8 Hz, as was confirmed by independent synthesis of 15NH3@2 according to the method described above.

Figure 7

Black line: A section of the experimental 1H NMR spectrum of 17.6 mm 14NH3@2 in degassed [D2]dichloromethane solution acquired at 11.7 T (500 MHz) and 25 °C with 64 transients. Blue line: simulated spectrum obtained using the following parameters: |J14NH|=42.6 Hz, T 1(14N)=2.66 ms.

The broad proton peak of 14NH3, and the very narrow proton peak of the 15NH3 isotopologue, provides compelling evidence that the line broadening in the 14NH3 case is due to rapid quadrupolar relaxation of the 14N coupling partner. This broadens the 14NH3 proton resonance through the scalar relaxation of the second kind (SR2K) mechanism.30 This broadening mechanism is negligible for the 15N isotopologue, since the 15N spin‐lattice relaxation is on a much longer timescale, due to the absence of an efficient quadrupolar relaxation mechanism for 15N.

The lineshapes are well simulated using SpinDynamica,31, 32 using a 1H‐14 n scalar coupling of |J 14NH|=42.6 Hz and 14N quadrupolar relaxation with a spin‐lattice relaxation time T 1(14N)=2.66 ms (Figure 7).

The 14N quadrupolar relaxation may be treated by assuming isotropic rotational diffusion. We define the quadrupolar coupling constant by [Eq. (1)]:

where I=1 for 14N, eQ is the electric quadrupolar moment of the nitrogen nucleus, and eq is the electrical field gradient at the deuterium nucleus.33 The Frobenius norm of the quadrupole coupling tensor may be written as [Eq. (2)]:

where η is the biaxality (asymmetry) parameter of the electric field gradient tensor. The spin‐lattice relaxation rate constant for quadrupolar relaxation, assuming isotropic rotational diffusion and the extreme narrowing limit, is given by [Eq. (3)]:34

which, for I=1, is equal to [Eq. (4)]:

The nuclear quadrupole coupling constant for 14NH3 has been estimated by microwave spectroscopy to be: ω Q/2π=2.05 MHz,35 with a biaxality parameter of η=0.36 The 14N T 1 value of 2.66 ms, as inferred from the lineshape of the 1H NMR spectrum, leads to an estimate of the rotational correlation time for endohedral ammonia molecules of τ=1.5 ps. If the overall tumbling of the fullerene cage is at least one order of magnitude slower as expected,37 this would indicate that NH3 is (essentially) rotating freely. We therefore calculated the rotational correlation time (τ) of open fullerene 2 from the experimental relaxation time constant T 1(13C)=0.54±0.06 s. of the methine carbon located on the orifice of 2, using Equation (5) to define relaxation of the 13C(H)OH nucleus, as applicable for extreme‐narrowing isotropic rotational tumbling, dominated by the 13C‐1H dipolar relaxation mechanism:

where ω CH is the dipole‐dipole coupling constant for the interaction between the carbon and proton nuclei, and τ is the overall rotational correlation time for 2.

By assuming an internuclear 13C‐1H distance of 108.9 pm, which corresponds to a dipole coupling constant of ω CH/2π=−23.4 kHz, we obtain an estimate of τ=57±5 ps. for the open fullerene 2, which is more than an order of magnitude longer than the rotational correlation time for the endohedral ammonia molecule in NH3@2.

Variable temperature solution proton NMR on NH3@2 showed that the NH3 line broadens as the temperature is increased (Figure 8). The increase in linewidth with temperature is consistent with the SR2K mechanism: a temperature increase leads to a shorter rotational correlation time τ, which leads to slower quadrupolar relaxation for the 14N nucleus, according to Equation (4). This leads in turn to a less effective averaging of the J NH splittings, and hence to a broader proton peak.

Figure 8

Experimental linewidth for the 1H resonance of 14NH3@2 plotted as a function of temperature. 64 transients were acquired per data point at a magnetic field of 11.7 T (500 MHz) using an 8 mm sample of 14NH3@2 in degassed chloroform‐d 3 solution.

The experimental 1H spin‐lattice relaxation curve for NH3@2 shows single exponential decay with a time constant of T 1=5.05±0.02 s, (see Supporting Information for all spin‐lattice relaxation curves).

We measured the IR spectra of endofullerene NH3@2 and the empty open‐cage species 2 between 600 and 9000 cm−1 in the temperature range 5 K to 300 K. The spectra of NH3@2 show clear peaks present only in NH3@2 and not in 2 in three spectral regions, around 1604 cm−1, 3300 cm−1, and 4700 cm−1 (Figures 9 and 10). The ≈1604 cm−1 region contains a cluster of four well‐resolved peaks, each of which may be fitted well with a Gaussian shape (Figure 9). The other two spectral regions contain peaks at 3196, 3288 and 3380 cm−1 (Figure 10 a), and 4430 and 4970 cm−1 (Figure 10 b). It should be noted that the spectral regions between 900–950, 1550–1950 and 3400–3550 cm−1 are obscured by strong fullerene absorption.

Figure 9

IR spectra of NH3@2 recorded between 5 and 250 K, in the regions around 1600 cm−1.

Figure 10

IR spectra of NH3@2 recorded between 5 and 250 K, in the regions around (a) 3300 cm−1 and (b) 4700 cm−1.

The intensity of all peaks decreases rapidly as the temperature is increased above ≈10 K (Figure 11), with a particularly strong decrease with temperature observed for the ≈1604 cm−1 peak cluster. However, the members of this peak cluster always display the same relative intensities.

Figure 11

Temperature dependence of NH3@2 normalized IR absorption line areas. Peaks are labeled by their frequencies. The normalized area of the 1604 cm−1 peak is the normalized sum of four peak areas from Figure 9.

In the gas phase, NH3 has two vibrations with hydrogen atoms moving in the triangular plane (ν 2 and ν 4), and two vibrations with out‐of‐plane motions of hydrogen atoms ν 1 and ν 3 (Table 1).38 The ν 1 and ν 2 vibrations are non‐degenerate, while the ν 3 and ν 4 vibrations are doubly degenerate in the gas phase. The following tentative assignments of the NH3 absorption peaks in NH3@2 may be made; the cluster of peaks at ≈1604 cm−1 is assigned to the ν 4 vibration, redshifted by ≈24 cm−1 with respect to the same mode in NH3 gas. The 3196 cm−1 peak is assigned to the fundamental ν 1 vibration, redshifted by 141 cm−1 with respect to the same mode in NH3 gas. The 3288 cm−1 and 3380 cm−1 peaks are assigned to the ν 3 vibration. We postulate that the double degeneracy of the ν 3 mode is lifted by the asymmetric environment of the open cage. The mean frequency of these two peaks is 3334 cm−1, indicating a redshift of 109 cm−1 with respect to the same mode in NH3 gas. The peak at 4430 cm−1 is difficult to attribute to a known mode or feasible combination mode of NH3 alone, and we tentatively assign it to a combination mode involving coupled vibrations of the endohedral molecule and a mode of the enclosing cage. The high‐frequency peak at 4970 cm−1 is tentatively attributed to a combination mode, involving the ≈1604 cm−1 ν 4 vibration and the 3380 cm−1 component of the ν 3 vibration.

Table 1

Normal modes of NH3, their irreducible representations in point group C3ν, frequencies in the gas phase and measured frequencies in NH3@2.

Mode	Γi (C 3 ν)	ω gas(cm−1)39, 40	ω NH3@2 (cm−1)	(ω NH3@2−ω gas)/ ω gas
ν 1	A 1	3337	3196	−0.042
ν 2	A 1	950	–	–
ν 3	E	3443	32883380	−0.045−0.018
ν 4	E	1628	1604	−0.015
			–	–

Gaseous NH3 has a ν 2 vibrational mode at 950 cm−1. No analogous peak is observed in the spectrum of NH3@2. The absence of this peak is probably due to the strong fullerene absorption in this spectral region.

No obvious fine structure is observed on the IR peaks, with the exception of the ≈1604 cm−1 peak cluster. The absence of rotational fine structure indicates that the potential generated by the confining asymmetric cage quenches the rotational freedom of the NH3 molecule, at least for the small number of states that are significantly populated at cryogenic temperatures.

The strong decrease in peak intensities with increasing temperature (Figure 11) implies the existence of many levels above the ground state which become thermally populated at the expense of the ground state population. These higher levels presumably have a complex rotational/translational fine structure. As a result, the spectral absorption at elevated temperature is distributed over a very large number of unresolved spectral peaks, so that all identifiable spectral features disappear at high temperature.

An exception to the absence of fine structure is the peak cluster at ≈1604 cm−1, which is tentatively assigned to the ν 4 vibration (Figure 9). Since the relative intensities of the sharp components appear to be temperature‐independent, the fine structure must be due to a splitting of the excited state energy levels, with the ground state remaining unsplit. The origin of this splitting is unknown, but might be due to rotational fine structure, or a tunnelling process between two or more potential minima. However, it is unclear why such structure is not clearly displayed for all of the other peaks and, at present, we do not have a definitive explanation for the fine structure around ≈1604 cm−1.

Conclusions

We have prepared and characterized open fullerenes encapsulating ammonia and methane. The encapsulated methane and ammonia display long 1H spin‐lattice relaxation times at room temperature, of 7.5 and 5.1 s. respectively. The variable temperature 1H NMR spectra indicate that both endohedral molecules rotate freely within the cages at 223 K, on the NMR timescale.

In the INS spectra of CH4@1 we find the first rotational peak at 0.4 meV and translational energy at approximately 15 meV for CH4. This is in qualitative agreement with CH4 entrapped in interstitial sites of the C60 crystal,26 where the J=0 to 1 rotational transition is centred on 0.6 meV, and the translational peak is centred on 10.9 meV. The differences are indicative of a stronger crystal field potential, and stronger confinement of the methane in CH4@1. We did not observe properties resulting from the entanglement of nuclear spin and molecule rotation/ vibration.

The broad NH3 resonance in the 1H NMR spectrum of NH3@2 is associated with the quadrupolar relaxation of the 14N nucleus, and is interpreted in terms of the 14N spin lattice relaxation time: T 1(14N)=2.66 ms. The scalar relaxation of the second kind mechanism is verified by broadening of the 1H linewidth with increasing temperature. A rotational correlation time of τ=1.5 ps. is estimated for endohedral NH3. An experimentally determined rotational correlation time of τ=57±5 ps. for the open fullerene 2 confirms free rotation of the encapsulated molecule.

The difference IR spectrum of NH3@2 and 2 at 5 K, identified three vibrations of NH3 (ν 1, ν 3 and ν 4) redshifted in comparison with free NH3. A rapid decrease in IR peak intensity with increasing temperature indicates the presence of a large number of excited translational/ rotational states which are populated above 50 K. The structures of these states is complex, so that no resolved IR peaks are observed. Nevertheless, rotational freedom is possible, in accordance with NMR observations.

Experimental Section

Synthesis and Characterization of Open‐Cage Fullerene (OCF) Derivatives

Reactions requiring dry conditions were conducted under an argon atmosphere using standard Schlenk and syringe techniques with freshly distilled solvents. All apparatus was dried in a hot in oven (>140 °C, 12 h) before being cooled in a sealed dessicator over silica gel or assembled while hot and cooled under vacuum (0.1 mm Hg). 1,2‐Dichlorobenzene was distilled from CaH2 at 55 °C under a vacuum of 15 mm Hg. Ethanol was dried over 3 Å molecular sieves. All other reagents, solvents or gases were used as received from commercial suppliers. High‐pressure reactions were conducted in a Parr® pressure vessel of 75 mL volume and 1 inch i.d., sealed with PTFE or graphite gasket. High‐pressure reactions were heated using an external oil bath and temperature monitoring was conducted using an external thermostat. NMR spectra were recorded on Bruker AVII400, AVIIIHD400 or AVIIIHD500 FT‐NMR spectrometers in the indicated solvent at 298 K. 1H chemical shifts are reported as values in ppm referenced to residual solvent. Spectra collected in 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4 are referenced to residual solvent at δ H=7.19 ppm, δ H=6.94 ppm; this solvent assignment is referenced to TMS (δ H=0 ppm). The following abbreviations are used to assign multiplicity and may be compounded: s=singlet, d=doublet, t=triplet, q=quartet and m=multiplet. Coupling constants, J, are measured in Hertz (Hz). 13C spectra are proton decoupled and referenced to solvent. 13C chemical shifts are reported to 2 d.p. in order to distinguish closely neighbouring resonances. Low‐resolution mass spectra were recorded using a MaXis mass spectrometer (Bruker Daltronics) equipped with Time of Flight (t.o.f.) analyzer using positive electrospray ionization. Samples were infused via a syringe driver at a constant flow rate of 3 μL min−1. High‐resolution mass spectra were obtained using a solariX FT‐ICR mass spectrometer equipped with a 4.7T superconducting magnet, using positive electrospray ionization. Values of m/z are reported in atomic mass units.

Open Fullerene 1

Open fullerene 1 was prepared according to the method of Murata,12 our procedure differing only in purification which was carried out by column chromatography over SiO2 eluted with a gradient of 2 % → 5 % EtOAc in toluene. Spectroscopic data were consistent with the published data.

CH4@1

A Parr® pressure vessel equipped with glass reactor insert was charged with a solution of open fullerene 1 (305 mg, 0.27 mmol) in 1‐chloronaphthalene (15 mL of ≥85 % technical grade containing ≈10 % 2‐chloronaphthalene). The reactor vessel was sealed and flushed with CH4 before charging with CH4 to 101 atm at room temperature. The vessel was heated to 200 °C (external oil bath temperature) and stirred at this temperature with an internal pressure of 153 atm for 68 h, then cooled to room temperature and the pressure slowly released. The residue was diluted with 1‐chloronaphthalene (20 mL) and filtered through a short SiO2 column with CHCl3 (elutes 1‐chloronaphthalene near the solvent front) followed by EtOAc (elutes CH4@1 near the solvent front). The EtOAc filtrate was concentrated in vacuo at room temperature to yield the title compound as a red/brown powder (310 mg of an inseparable 65:35 mixture of CH4@1: 1, 100 % yield).

Data for the CH4@1 Component of the Mixed NMR Spectra:

1H NMR (400 MHz, [D8]THF) δ H=7.72 (1 H, t, J=7.8 Hz), 7.62 (1 H, t, J=7.8 Hz), 7.32 (2 H, d, J=7.8 Hz), 7.21 (2 H, d, J=7.8 Hz), 7.02 (1 H, d, J=10.2 Hz), 6.30 (1 H, d, J=10.2 Hz), 1.23 (9 H, s), 1.12 (9 H, s), −12.43 ppm (encapsulated CH4, 4 H, s); 13C NMR (125.7 MHz, [D8]THF) δ C=190.68, 185.40, 182.11, 180.48, 169.23, 169.13, 164.99, 163.38, 156.73, 153.37, 152.21, 151.59, 151.18, 151.05, 150.84, 150.62, 150.55, 150.48, 150.35, 150.26, 149.96, 149.90, 149.85, 148.19, 147.09, 146.51, 146.47, 146.41, 145.96, 145.87, 145.80, 145.51, 144.71, 144.39, 144.31, 144.07, 143.54, 143.36, 142.73, 142.58, 142.15, 141.74, 140.46, 140.25, 139.78, 139.54, 139.27, 139.11, 138.87, 138.82, 138.79, 138.68, 138.45, 137.80, 137.74, 137.72, 137.61, 137.52, 136.21, 134.84, 134.60, 132.79, 132.30, 132.28, 129.97, 128.10, 126.58, 121.20, 120.77, 118.36, 118.19, 60.70, 55.62, 38.40, 38.37, 30.38, 30.27, −19.24 ppm. One overlapping resonance is not reported; 1H NMR (500 MHz, 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4) δ H=−12.59 ppm (encapsulated CH4, 4 H, s), T 1=7.53±0.03 s.; Proton‐coupled 13C NMR (125.7 MHz, 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4) δ C=−19.47 ppm (encapsulated CH4, pentet, J=124.8 Hz); ES+ m/z 1151.20 (C83H30N2O4S (CH4@1) + H+).

Data for the (Minor) Open Fullerene 1 Component of the Mixed 1H Spectrum:

1H NMR (400 MHz, [D8]THF) δ=7.72 (1 H, t, J=7.8 Hz), 7.61 (1 H, t, J=7.8 Hz), 7.32 (2 H, d, J=7.8 Hz), 7.20 (2 H, d, J=7.8 Hz), 7.04 (1 H, d, J=10.2 Hz), 6.30 (1 H, d, J=10.2 Hz), 1.23 (9 H, s), 1.11 ppm (9 H, s); ES+ m/z 1135.17 (C82H26N2O4S (1) + H+).

NH3@2

Open fullerene 1 (26 mg, 0.023 mmol) was dried at 140 °C (external oil bath temperature) for 2 h under a vacuum of 0.3 mm Hg, before cooling under argon and addition of degassed 1,2‐dichlorobenzene (4 mL). The solution was cooled to 0 °C (ice/salt bath) and NH3 (33 μL of a 7 n solution in methanol, 0.23 mmol) was added drop‐wise. The resulting mixture was stirred at 0 °C for 10 min. before addition of NaBH4 (0.2 mL of a freshly prepared 58 mm solution in EtOH, 0.011 mmol) and stirring at 0 °C for 15 min. further. 1 m HCl (2 mL) was then added and the cooling bath removed. After warming to room temperature, the mixture was stirred overnight before separation of the organic phase and extraction of the aqueous phase with 1,2‐dichlorobenzene (1 mL). The combined organic extracts were filtered through a short SiO2 column with CHCl3 (elutes 1,2‐dichlorobenzene near the solvent front) followed by EtOAc (elutes NH3@2 near the solvent front). The EtOAc filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. Purification by column chromatography (SiO2 eluted with 94:4:2 toluene:EtOAc:AcOH) gave the title compound as a brown/black solid (12 mg, 45 % yield, 92 % NH3 encapsulation).

Data for the NH3@2 Component of the Mixed NMR Spectra:

1H NMR (500 MHz, 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4) δ H=7.62 (1 H, t, J=7.9 Hz), 7.54 (1 H, t, J=7.9 Hz), 7.42 (1 H, d, J=4.6 Hz), 7.27–7.22 (3 H, m), 7.20–7.13 (2 H, m), 6.60 (1 H, d, J=10.3 Hz), 3.75, (1 H, d, J=4.6 Hz), 1.24 (9 H, s), 1.13 (9 H, s), −12.35 ppm (encapsulated NH3, 3 H, broad s, including approx. 0.3 % overall intensity d, J=59.8 Hz attributed to natural abundance 15NH3@2) ppm. Encapsulated NH3, T 1=5.05±0.02 s.; 13C NMR (125.7 MHz, 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4) δ C=198.04, 186.30, 183.26, 169.08, 169.03, 164.53, 163.35, 157.99, 157.05, 153.97, 153.58, 151.36, 151.24, 151.16, 151.09, 151.01, 150.84, 150.82, 150.45, 150.13, 150.11, 149.92, 149.61, 149.16, 148.87, 147.68, 147.08, 145.86, 145.54, 145.44, 145.36, 145.31, 144.28, 144.13, 144.05, 143.93, 143.53, 143.51, 142.65, 142.12, 141.96, 141.28, 141.27, 139.40, 138.83, 138.36, 138.26, 137.84, 137.70, 137.68, 137.66, 137.63, 137.56, 137.34, 137.27, 137.18, 136.90, 135.85, 135.14, 134.73, 134.00, 132.45, 131.31, 130.75, 130.39, 125.17, 120.52, 120.31, 118.00, 117.74, 83.08, 59.58, 55.01, 38.11, 38.08, 30.20, 30.13 ppm. Five overlapping resonances are not reported; ES+ m/z 1154.2103 (C83H31N3O4S (NH3@2) + H+).

Data for the minor component of the mixed 1H spectrum in 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4 (“empty” open fullerene 2) has spectroscopic data consistent with that published by Murata et al.14

Measurement of 1H and 13C Spin‐Lattice Relaxation

Experimental 1H spin‐lattice relaxation curves were measured for CH4@1 (17.4 mm) and NH3@2 (17.6 mm) in degassed 1,2‐dichlorobenzene‐d 4, and the experimental 13C spin‐lattice relaxation curve was measured for the C(H)OH methine carbon on the orifice of NH3@2 (7.3 mm) in degassed CDCl3. All spectra were acquired at 11.7 T and 25 °C, using a Bruker AVIIIHD500 FT‐NMR spectrometer. Spin‐lattice relaxation times T 1 were estimated using the saturation‐recovery pulse sequence. The 90° pulse was calibrated for each sample using Bruker TopSpin and the saturation‐recovery sequence employed a 16‐point delay list (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 30 s.). Signals of interest from the saturation‐recovery experiments were integrated using Bruker TopSpin, and the data were fitted using Mathematica. Signal amplitudes was normalized to the last data point. The fitted curves have a single‐exponential form.

IR Spectroscopy

Samples of NH3@2 and H2O@2 with filling factors of f=0.9 (NH3@2) and 0.35 (H2O@2) were studied. The fraction of empty cages is 1−f. The sample of NH3@2 contained a small amount of H2O@2 so the resonance lines specific to NH3 were identified by comparing the NH3@2 and H2O@2 spectra. Some spectral regions were opaque because of the absorption by the open fullerene. The samples were pressed into pellets of 3 mm diameter and of thickness d=155 μm (NH3@2) and 190 μm (H2O@2). Spectra were recorded with a Vertex 80v (Bruker Optics) spectrometer between 600 and 9000 cm−1 with a liquid nitrogen cooled HgCdTe detector. Sample temperature was controlled between 5 and 300 K with a continuous flow cryostat. Transmitted intensity through the sample, I s, was referenced to the intensity through a 3 mm diameter hole, I 0. The absorption coefficient α was calculated from the ratio Tr=I s/I 0 as α=−d −1ln[Tr(1−R)−2] where the factor (1−R )2 with R=(η−1)2(η+1)−2 corrects for two back reflections, one from the sample front and one from the back face. We used η=2 of solid C60 as the refraction index.41 The spectra in Figures 9 and 10 are difference spectra α(T)−α(300 K) with the base line removed.

Inelastic Neutron Scattering Spectroscopy

INS was performed at the high‐flux reactor source of the Institut Laue‐Langevin, Grenoble. Three spectrometers were employed; IN4c and IN6 are time‐of‐flight (t.o.f.) INS spectrometers and IN1‐Lagrange is a triple‐axis spectrometer equipped with a large area graphite analyser. IN4c and IN1‐Lagrange have been described in earlier papers24a,24b IN6 is designed for quasi‐elastic and inelastic neutron scattering. It operates on a cold neutron source and provides good resolution at low energy transfer, accessing both neutron energy (NE) gain and NE loss components of the spectrum. By convention the NE gain is defined with negative values of energy transfer ΔE. The powdered samples were wrapped in Al foil sachets for mounting in the cryostat. A “blank” sample of open fullerene (1) with identical mass to that of the CH4@1 sample was employed. In order to remove spectral features arising from fullerene cage modes and scattering from the construction materials of the cryostat, the INS spectra from the “blank” were subtracted from those recorded on the sample containing CH4. The spectra were recorded at cryogenic temperatures and the data is openly available [http://doi.ill.fr/10.5291/ILL‐DATA.7‐04‐148].

Computational Experiments

Computational experiments were carried out using the Gaussian 09 software package.42 A model structure (1 b) for open fullerene 1 in which the 6‐tert‐butyl pyridyl substituents were replaced by methyl substituents, was used. Structures and transition states were optimised using DFT with the M06‐2X functional43 and Dunning's correlation consistent basis set cc‐pVDZ.44 Frequency calculations were carried out for each stationary point to check that the optimised geometry corresponded to a minimum or a transition state, and to allow the Gibbs free energies and entropies to be calculated at defined temperatures and pressures using the Gaussian freqchk utility. Vibrations were not scaled and low frequency vibrations were not removed. Electronic energies were calculated at the above geometries using M06‐2X with the cc‐pVTZ basis set and were corrected for basis set superposition errors using the counterpoise method.45

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Supplementary

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