Synthesis of Precursors for Large-Diameter Hemispherical Buckybowls and Precursors for Short Carbon Nanotubes.

We report herein the synthesis of six precursor molecules for the rational synthesis of isomerically pure armchair, zigzag, or chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons possess the required carbon connectivity for the generation of extended hemispherical buckybowls with predefined geometry through intramolecular cyclodehydrogenation. The precursors for the short carbon nanotubes and the large-diameter hemispherical buckybowls have potential for the rational initiation of single-chirality SWCNT growth on metal surfaces. The options for the construction of precursors for various SWCNT chiralities based on the suggested synthesis strategy are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]