These molecules are usually inserted in the hydrophobic domains of proteins (binding site of protease in HIV).Īnother target for amino acid derivative of fullerene is the reverse transcriptase in HIV, these molecules are seen to be more active than the non nucleoside analog inhibitors usually used. Bivalent metal derivatives of amino acid derivatives of fullerene, like C60-1-Ala, are also seen to be active against HIV and human cytomegalovirus replication. Dendrofullerene 1 and Derivative 2, trans isomer have been seen to inhibit the HIV protease, and thus, prevent replication of HIV 1. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this may be their ability to suppress the replication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and thus, delay the onset of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Antiviral Agentsįullerenes have grabbed quite a bit of attention due to their potential as antiviral agents. Fullerene molecules also prevent lipid peroxidation by scavenging peroxy radicals, and thus, prevent cell cytotoxicity related with them. The biggest advantage of this molecule is that it is readily absorbed by the intact skin. This prevents skin damage and premature aging of the skin without any side effects. A water soluble derivative C60 with polyvinylpyrrolidone or Radical Sponge is usually added to cosmetics. These bind to the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and prevent damage to cells. These molecules also act as effective cytoprotectors against the ultraviolet A irradiation. Perhaps, one of the major advantages of using these molecules as an antioxidant is that these can be localized within the cell. That is why, these molecules are also known as the ‘world’s most efficient radical scavengers’ or ‘radical sponge’. A single C60 molecule can interact with up to 34 methyl radicals before being used up. Fullerenes can react with a number of radicals before being consumed. This was overcome by various techniques like encapsulation of the fullerenes with hydrophilic molecules, suspending this molecule with other solvents, and conjugating it with other hydrophilic molecules.įullerenes can make excellent antioxidants, this property can be attributed to the large number of conjugated double bonds they possess and a very high electron affinity of these molecules (due to low energy of the unoccupied molecular orbital). The greatest challenge faced by scientists in doing so was its insolubility in aqueous medium, and its tendency to form aggregates. Applications and Uses of Fullerene Medical Applications of FullereneĮxtensive research on the biomedical applications of this molecule has been underway ever since its discovery. These molecules have very high tensile strength and bounce back to their original shape after being subjected to over 3,000 atmospheric pressure! Due to the unique properties of this allotrope of carbon, it has a number of applications―a few of them have been discussed below. Although this molecule is made of conjugated carbon rings, the electrons here are not delocalized, and thus, these molecules lack the property of superaromaticity. These molecules have extremely high affinity for electrons and can be reversibly reduced to take up 6 electrons. The C-C bond length for the hexagonal rings is 1.40 A° and 1.46 A° for the pentagonal rings, with the average bond length equal to 1.44 A°.įullerenes have sp2 as well as sp3 hybridized carbon atoms. These rings are conjugated with double bonds. It is composed of 12 pentagonal and 20 hexagonal rings that are adjacent to each other. The C60 buckyball is made of 60 carbons at 60 vertices that make a spherical structure. This led to the subsequent discoveries of a number of other similar compounds that were known as fullerenes.ĭue its relative ease of synthesis, fullerene of C60 remains popular and a lot of research for its potential applications has been carried out. The Buckminsterfullerene is an allotrope of carbon discovered by Richard Smalley, Robert Curl, Harry Kroto et al at Rice University and Sussex University, in the year 1985, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1996. The Buckminsterfullerene was the first fullerene to be discovered and was named after the American architect, Buckminster Fuller, as it resembled the geodesic dome designed by him.
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