The electrochemical inspection of the redox activity of sumanene and its concave CpFe complex.

The redox properties of sumanene C(21)H(12) and its concave Fe(II) complex [(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))Fe(eta(6)-C(21)H(12))](+) have been elucidated through an electrochemical study in non-aqueous solvents, i.e. N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and acetonitrile (MeCN).

A chiral concave-bound cyclopentadienyl iron complex of sumanene.

Great bowls of fire: The rotation of the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ring is restricted in two concave-bound monoalkyl-substituted [CpFe(eta(6)-sumanene)](+) "pi-bowl" complexes (see picture). The asymmetric stacking of atropisomers was observed with a MeCpFe complex in the solid state and the chiral (S)-sBuCpFe complex showed magnetic and optical desymmetrization of the sumanene ligand, which is the first example of a chiral complex of a pi-bowl ligand.

Anisotropic electron transport properties in sumanene crystal.

The high electron mobility with large anisotropy was attained in the needle-like single crystal of sumanene, which was indicated by time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurement.

Bowl-to-bowl inversion of sumanene derivatives.

The bowl-to-bowl inversion of the non-planar bowl-shaped compounds derived from sumanene as a fullerene C3v fragment was found to be slow and tuned by a solvent, and the benzylic mono- and di-anions inverted even more slowly.

Structural elucidation of sumanene and generation of its benzylic anions.

The structure of sumanene in a solid state was elucidated. The silyl-substituted sumanene was stereoselectively synthesized through generation of the benzylic anions of sumanene.