Selective formation and structural properties of rhombic dodecahedral [70]fullerene microparticles formed by reaction with aliphatic diamines

We have accomplished the selective formation of rhombic dodecahedral microparticles on the submicrometer to micrometer scale by the reaction of [70]fullerene (C₇₀) with primary aliphatic diamines. The morphology of the resultant microparticles was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and other spectroscopic methods, demonstrating that the resultant particles held a rhombic dodecahedral shape having a simple cubic lattice structure and that primary aliphatic amines were mostly trapped inside the particles through electronic interaction between C₇₀ and amines. Furthermore, we have discovered interesting structural characteristics in which the incorporated amines could be removed from the C₇₀ microparticles or exchanged with other primary aliphatic diamines.