Heterofullerenes

In heterofullerenes, one or more carbon atoms that form the fullerene carbon cage are replaced by a non-carbon atom, i.e. heteroatom. Consequently, substitution of an odd number of C atoms by trivalent atoms such as nitrogen or boron leads to radicals which can be stabilized by dimerization, whereas the replacement of an even number of C atoms would directly result in closed-shell systems. This review provides a complete and up-to-date evaluation of the chemistry and physics of heterofullerenes. Emphasis is given to functional derivatives of azafullerenes.