Summary
In chemistry, a metallofullerene is a molecule composed of a metal atom trapped inside a fullerene cage.
Simple metallofullerenes consist of a fullerene cage, typically C
80, with one or two metal atoms trapped inside. Recently, research has produced metallofullerenes that enclose small clusters of atoms, such as Sc
3N@C
80, Y
3N@C
80, and Sc
3C
2@C
80. The '@' symbol in the formula indicates that the atom(s) are encapsulated inside the cage, rather than being chemically bonded to it.
Fullerenes in a variety of sizes have been found to encapsulate metal atoms in this way.
Medical applications edit
One particular metallofullerene with gadolinium at its core is up to 40 times better as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging scans for diagnostic imaging.[citation needed] Metallofullerenes may also provide ways to carry therapeutic radioactive ions to cancerous tissue.[1][2]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Support for top-down theory of how 'buckyballs' form". KurzweilAI. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
- ^ Zhang, J.; Bowles, F. L.; Bearden, D. W.; Ray, W. K.; Fuhrer, T.; Ye, Y.; Dixon, C.; Harich, K.; Helm, R. F.; Olmstead, M. M.; Balch, A. L.; Dorn, H. C. (2013). "A missing link in the transformation from asymmetric to symmetric metallofullerene cages implies a top-down fullerene formation mechanism". Nature Chemistry. 5 (10): 880–885. Bibcode:2013NatCh...5..880Z. doi:10.1038/nchem.1748. PMID 24056346.