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Research project

Molecular Endofullerenes

Project overview

This project consists of the synthesis and multidisciplinary investigation of small molecules trapped inside fullerene cages. The host molecules in these unique molecular systems behave as quantum rotors and exhibit phenomena such as spin isomerism, spin isomer conversion, quantised molecular motion, and quantum-rotor induced hyperpolarization.

Staff

Lead researcher

Professor Malcolm Levitt

Professor of Chemistry

Research interests

  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Endofullerenes
Other researchers

Professor Richard Whitby

Professor of Chemistry

Research interests

  • Synthesis, properties and application of atomic and molecular endofullerenes.
  • The use of flow chemistry for the rapid acquisition of mechanistic and process information.
  • The synthesis of polyaromatic molecules for optoelectronic applications.

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Magnetic Resonance

Our main focus is finding ways to extend the timescale over which magnetic resonance can be made.

Organic Chemistry, Synthesis, Catalysis

We develop environmentally sustainable approaches to chemical manufacture that minimise chemical waste, improve product velocity and reduce the need to isolate intermediates.

Research outputs

Scalable dissolution-dynamic nuclear polarization with rapid transfer of a polarized solid
Karel Kouril,
Hana Kourilova,
Samuel Bartram,
Malcolm H. Levitt,
& Benno Meier
, 2019 , Nature Communications , 10
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09726-5
Type: article
First synthesis and characterization of CH4@C60
Sally Bloodworth,
Gabriela Sitinova,
Shamim Alom,
Sara Vidal,
George, Razvan Bacanu,
Stuart J Elliott,
Mark Light,
Julie Herniman,
G. John Langley,
Malcolm H. Levitt,
& Richard J. Whitby
, 2019 , Angewandte Chemie International Edition , 58 (15) , 5038--5043
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201900983
Type: article
Spin-isomer conversion of water at room temperature, and quantum-rotor-induced nuclear polarization, in the water-endofullerene H2​​​O​@C60
Benno Meier,
Karel Kouril,
Christian Bengs,
Hana Kourilova,
Timothy Barker,
Stuart Elliott,
Shamim Alom,
Richard J. Whitby,
& Malcolm H. Levitt
, 2018 , Physical Review Letters , 120 (26) , 1--6
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.266001
Type: letterEditorial
Alignment of 17O-enriched water-endofullerenes H2O@C60 in a liquid crystal matrix
Karel Kouril,
Benno Meier,
Shamim Alom,
Richard J. Whitby,
& Malcolm H. Levitt
, 2018 , Faraday Discussions , 212 , 517--532
DOI: 10.1039/C8FD00095F
Type: article
Synthesis and properties of open fullerenes encapsulating ammonia and methane
Sally Bloodworth,
John Gravisk,
Shamim Alom,
Karel Kouril,
Stuart Elliott,
Neil J. Wells,
Anthony J. Horsewill,
Salvatore Mamone,
Mónica Jiménez-Ruiz,
Stéphane Rols,
Urmas Nagel,
Toomas Rõõm,
Malcolm H. Levitt,
& Richard J. Whitby
, 2018 , ChemPhysChem , 19 , 266--276
DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201701212
Type: article
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