MECHANOCHEMISTRY - A NOVEL-APPROACH TO THE SYNTHESIS OF FULLERENE COMPOUNDS - WATER-SOLUBLE BUCKMINSTERFULLERENE-GAMMA-CYCLODEXTRIN INCLUSION COMPLEXES VIA A SOLID-SOLID REACTION

It has been shown that the solid-solid mechanochemical reaction between crystalline buckminsterfullerene and gamma cyclodextrin at room temperature yields an inclusion complex of more intact nature than the procedure previously suggested by Swedish researchers. Experimental evidence suggests that the reaction proceeds via the mechanochemical amorphization of the reactants and dissolution of C-60 in the amorphous gamma-CD phase. Preliminary investigations show that mechanochemistry offers a novel approach to the synthesis of many fullerene compounds and derivatives.