A nanoparticle or agglomerate which contains connected multi-walled spherical fullerenes coated in layers of graphite. In different embodiments, the nanoparticles and agglomerates have different combinations of: a high mass fraction compared to other carbon allotropes present, a low concentration of defects, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) specific surface area, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the nanoparticles and agglomerates at a high production rate without using catalysts.

The invention provides a fullerene compound; a lubricant that is for a magnetic recording medium and that contains the fullerene compound; and a magnetic recording medium. The fullerene compound is an ionic liquid that is represented by general formula (1) and is formed from a Bronsted acid (H.sub.n1X) and a Bronsted base ([R.sub.2R.sub.3)N—].sub.m1—R.sub.1); wherein one of the Brønsted acid and the Broønsted base contains a group having a fullerene; and the other contains a perfluoroalkyl chain. ##STR00001##

The invention relates to novel mixtures of substituted fullerenes, to their use in organic electronic (OE) devices, especially organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices and organic photodetectors (OPD), and to OE, OPV and OPD devices comprising these fullerene mixtures.

[6,6]-Phenyl C.sub.71 butyric acid derivatives (C.sub.70-PCBR.sub.3) having a selectivity of greater than 95 wt % of the α-isomer are provided by reacting fullerene C.sub.70 with a dialkyl sulfonium tetrafluoroborate having the formula:

##STR00001##

This method for producing a fullerene derivative is a method for producing a fullerene derivative having a partial structure shown by formula (1) by reacting a predetermined halogenated compound and two carbon atoms adjacent to each other for forming a fullerene skeleton in a mixed solvent of an aromatic solvent and an aprotic polar solvent having a C═O or S═O bond in the presence of at least one metal selected from the group comprising manganese, iron, and zinc;

##STR00001##

(in formula (1), C* are each carbon atoms adjacent to each other for forming a fullerene skeleton, A is a linking group having 1-4 carbon atoms for forming a ring structure with two C*, in which a portion thereof may be a substituted or condensed group).

A method for synthesizing a medicinal, nutraceutical, or food fullerene composition, including providing anisotropy in polar and non-polar C60 fullerene hemispheres to create one face of C60 fullerene having a small number of OH-groups clustered to the polar face; providing an amount of a polyhydroxylated fullerene from C60 fullerene; and blending the amount of the polyhydroxylated fullerene with an acceptable ionomer or an acceptable carrier or both. The polyhydroxylated fullerene includes fullerol-'x′ and the amount includes 200 ppm or 500 ppm, wherein ‘x’ is less than 22. The acceptable ionomer includes honey, or a mixture of 3% by wt. sucrose, 1% by wt. proline, 0.2% by wt. magnesium citrate, and 1% by wt. beta-cyclodextrin. The acceptable carrier includes water or a gelatin. A stent, a medical bandage, medical packing material, medical drainage material, acupuncture support, topical ointment, or suture material is impregnated with an anisotropic polyhydroxylated fullerene for antimicrobial action.

Provided is a novel semiconductor material. A compound represented by the following formula (I): A.sup.1-B.sup.1-A.sup.1 (I) (In the formula (I), A.sup.1 represents an electron-withdrawing group, B.sup.1 is a divalent group including two or more constituent units that are linked by a single bond to constitute a π-conjugated system, at least one of the two or more constituent units is a first constituent unit represented by the following formula (II), and the remaining second constituent unit other than the first constituent unit is a divalent group including an unsaturated bond, an arylene group, or a heteroarylene group.)

##STR00001## (In the formula (II), Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2, Y, and R are as defined in the specification.).

A polyaryl carboxylic fullerene derivative and its use in anti-coronavirus infection are disclosed. Specifically, a compound shown in formula A: fullerene-RR.sub.1R.sub.2R.sub.3R.sub.4R.sub.5 formula A, or a stereoisomer, prodrug, pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or pharmaceutically acceptable solvate of the compound is provided. The compound or a derivative thereof has promising application prospects in anti-coronavirus infection.

An organic photodetector comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photosensitive organic layer between the electrodes, the photosensitive organic layer comprising a donor polymer and an acceptor compound, characterized in that the acceptor compound has a LUMO level shallower than that of the fullerene derivative PCBM.

This method for producing a fullerene derivative is a method for producing a fullerene derivative having a partial structure shown by formula (1) by reacting a predetermined halogenated compound and two carbon atoms adjacent to each other for forming a fullerene skeleton in a mixed solvent of an aromatic solvent and an aprotic polar solvent having a C═O or S═O bond in the presence of at least one metal selected from the group comprising manganese, iron, and zinc; ##STR00001##
(in formula (1), C* are each carbon atoms adjacent to each other for forming a fullerene skeleton, A is a linking group having 1-4 carbon atoms for forming a ring structure with two C*, in which a portion thereof may be a substituted or condensed group).