| The fullerene C60 is a spherical molecule made up exclusively of carbon atoms. The surface of this compound is homogenous, convex and aromatic. As a result, C60 can associate with other aromatic molecules via non-covalent pi-stacking interactions to form supramolecular assemblies. The triptycene is a "Y"- shaped molecule with concave aromatic surfaces. This molecule can thereby interact with C60 and form crystals through amplified pi-stacking interactions resulting from the concave/convex complementary arrangement.;In addition, we have found that aromatic solvents that are properly functionalized with halogen atoms and methyl groups have a special ability to solubilize C60.;Keywords Fullerene, C60, C70, triptycene, supramolecular association, C60 solubility, co-crystals, X-ray diffraction, Hirshfeld surface.;In the course of our work, we made a series of new triptycene derivatives with functional groups added to the periphery of the aromatic core. In particular, we found that methyl groups, as well as atoms of chlorine, bromine and iodine, can be placed on the extremities of the triptycene core to expand the concave cavities available to interact with C60 and C70. We studied the non-covalent interactions between fullerenes and triptycene derivatives using X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, Hirshfeld surfaces have been used to map the interaction patterns around fullerene surfaces. |
