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Research project

Molecular Endofullerenes

Project overview

This project consists of the synthesis and multidisciplinary investigation of small molecules trapped inside fullerene cages. The host molecules in these unique molecular systems behave as quantum rotors and exhibit phenomena such as spin isomerism, spin isomer conversion, quantised molecular motion, and quantum-rotor induced hyperpolarization.

Staff

Lead researcher

Professor Malcolm Levitt

Professor of Chemistry

Research interests

  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Endofullerenes
Connect with Malcolm

Email: [email protected]

Other researchers

Professor Richard Whitby

Professor of Chemistry

Research interests

  • Synthesis, properties and application of atomic and molecular endofullerenes.
  • The use of flow chemistry for the rapid acquisition of mechanistic and process information.
  • The synthesis of polyaromatic molecules for optoelectronic applications.
Connect with Richard

Email: [email protected]

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Magnetic Resonance

Our main focus is finding ways to extend the timescale over which magnetic resonance can be made.

Organic Chemistry, Synthesis, Catalysis

We develop environmentally sustainable approaches to chemical manufacture that minimise chemical waste, improve product velocity and reduce the need to isolate intermediates.

Research outputs

Electrical detection of ortho-para conversion in fullerene-encapsulated water
Benno Meier, Salvatore Mamone, Maria Concistrè, Javier Alonso-Valdesueiro, Andrea Krachmalnicoff, Richard Whitby & Malcolm H. Levitt, 2015, Nature Communications, 6, 1-12
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9112
Type: article
Synthesis and characterisation of an open-cage fullerene encapsulating hydrogen fluoride
Andrea Krachmalnicoff, Richard Bounds, Salvatore Mamone, Malcolm H. Levitt, Marina Carravetta & Richard Whitby, 2015, Chemical Communications, 1-4
DOI: 10.1039/C5CC00499C
Type: article
Visualisation of quantum evolution in the Stern–Gerlach and Rabi experiments
Marcel Utz, Malcolm H. Levitt, Nathan Cooper & Hendrik Ulbricht, 2015, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17, 3867-3872
DOI: 10.1039/C4CP05606J
Type: article
An optimised scalable synthesis of H2O@C60and a new synthesis of H2@C60
A. Krachmalnicoff, M. Levitt & R. Whitby, 2014, Chemical Communications
DOI: 10.1039/C4CC06198E
Type: article
Symmetry-breaking in the endofullerene H2O@C60revealed in the quantum dynamics of ortho and para-water: a neutron scattering investigation
Kelvin S.K. Goh, Mónica Jiménez-Ruiz, Mark R. Johnson, Stéphane Rols, Jacques Ollivier, Mark S. Denning, Salvatore Mamone, Malcolm H. Levitt, Xuegong Lei, Yongjun Li, Nicholas J. Turro, Yasujiro Murata & Anthony J. Horsewill, 2014, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 16(39), 21330-21339
DOI: 10.1039/C4CP03272A
Type: article