Molecular containers with a dynamic orifice: open-cage fullerenes capable of encapsulating either H2O or H2 under mild conditions

Abstract

Open-cage fullerene derivatives with an imide moiety above the orifice have been prepared. Rotation of the N–Ar imide bond can tune the orifice to a size large enough to encapsulate H₂O at r.t. and also to a size small enough to keep H₂ from escaping the cavity rapidly.