08/12/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/11/2022 19:07
2. Summary of the announcement
A research group led by Masafumi Sugiyama, a graduate student at the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo; Project Assistant Professor Midori Akiyama (at the time of the research); Professor Kyoko Nozaki, Takashi Okazoe, a senior research fellow at AGC Inc. in joint research with Kenji Komaguchi, Associate Professor, Applied Chemistry Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University; and Masahiro Higashi, Associate Professor, Molecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, has for the first time succeeded in synthesizing perfluorocubane, which has fluorine atoms bonded to all vertices and observing an electron confined inside it.
Polyhedral molecules with fluorine atoms bonded to all vertices were theoretically predicted to accept an electron in their interiors, but synthesis had not been achieved. The research group has succeeded in synthesizing the world's first perfluorocubane using the PERFECT method (Note 1) developed by AGC Inc. It also succeeded in observing the confinement of an electron inside this molecule. These results provide new possibilities for design guidelines for functional molecules that accept electrons.
The results of this research were published online in the journal Science on August 11, 2022 (EDT).
This research was conducted in the "Laboratory for Material and Life Sciences for Fusion of Fluorine and Organic Chemistry," a Social Cooperation Program of the Department of Chemistry & Biotechnology, School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo funded by AGC Inc. The results of this research are the fusion of cutting-edge scientific knowledge from universities and specialized technology from companies. This research was also supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research for Early-Career Scientists (project numbers: JP19K15532 and JP21K14608), Dynamic Exciton: Emerging Science and Innovation (project numbers: JP20H05839 and JP21H05385), Grants-in-Aid for Research Fellowships for Young Scientists (project number: JP21J21713), Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, The Hattori Hokokai Foundation, Iketani Science and Technology Foundation, and Koyanagi Foundation.
4. Announcement publication
Journal: Science (online edition: August 11, 2022)
Article title: "Electron in a cube: Synthesis and characterization of perfluorocubane as an electron acceptor"
Authors: Masafumi Sugiyama, Midori Akiyama*, Yuki Yonezawa, Kenji Komaguchi, Masahiro Higashi, Kyoko Nozaki, and Takashi Okazoe
DOI number: 10.1126/science.abq0516
Midori Akiyama
(At time of research: Project Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo/Current affiliation: Assistant Professor, Molecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University)
Yuki Yonezawa
(At time of research: Master course student, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo)
Kenji Komaguchi
(Associate Professor, Applied Chemistry Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University)
Masahiro Higashi
(Associate Professor, Molecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University)
Kyoko Nozaki
(Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo)
Takashi Okazoe
(Senior Researcher, Materials Integration Laboratories, Technology General Division, AGC Inc./Part-time Lecturer, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo)
【Media inquiries】
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7. Glossary
(Note 1) The PERFECT (Perfluorination of an Esterified Compound then Thermolysis) method: A method developed to convert all carbon-hydrogen bonds in an organic molecule to carbon-fluorine bonds.
(Note 2) Quantum chemical calculation: A method of analyzing the structure and properties of molecules by determining their electronic states through computer simulations.
(Note 3) Molecular orbital: The spatial distribution of electrons in motion within a molecule. Some molecular orbitals are actually occupied by electrons, while others are unoccupied.
(Note 4) LUMO: Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital. The unoccupied molecular orbital that is not occupied by an electron and is the most receptive to electrons.
(Note 5) Single crystal X-ray structure analysis: A method to determine the structure and arrangement of molecules in a crystal by irradiating single crystals (crystals in which molecules are regularly arranged) with X-rays and measuring their diffraction.
(Note 6) Electrochemical measurement: A method of applying voltage to molecules in solution and measuring the current flowing through them. The ease of accepting electrons can be evaluated with this method.
(Note 7) Spectrophotometric measurement: A method of shining light on molecules in solution to determine the wavelength of light absorbed by the molecules. Molecules that are more receptive to electrons absorb light of longer wavelengths.
(Note 8) Low-temperature solid-phase matrix isolation ESR method: A method to observe unstable chemical species by generating the chemical species of interest at low temperatures in a reaction-inert solid medium, thereby suppressing their degradation. (ESR: Electron Spin Resonance)
8. Attachments