Redox-active metal–metal bonds between lanthanides in dimetallofullerenes

摘要

The empty space inside a fullerene cage can be filled with a variety of species, including metal dimers. Encapsulation of Sc2, Y2, or lanthanide dimers leads to dimetallofullerenes featuring metal–metal bonding molecular orbital. Such an orbital can be either HOMO or LUMO of the dimetallofullerene molecule. In certain cases, single-occupied metal–metal bonding orbital can be also stabilized. This review is focused on redox processes involving variation of the electron population of metal–metal bonding orbitals in dimetallofullerenes.