Successful multifunctionalization of carbon nanobelts

July 10, 2025

This breakthrough accelerating applications of molecular nanocarbon materials

An international research Group, including scientists from the RIKEN PRI and the RIKEN CSRS has successfully developed a magnesium-mediated method for the twelvefold dearomative esterification of carbon nanobelts (CNBs)—belt-shaped cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

CNBs are increasingly being explored not only in materials science fields such as organic electronics and supramolecular chemistry, but also in emerging applications within the life sciences. However, direct functionalization of CNBs has remained a significant challenge, with only a few successes. This research group first developed a mild and operationally simple method for regioselective esterification of anthracene, a linear tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. This led to the discovery of a magnesium- mediated dearomative esterification reaction. By applying this reaction to a (6,6) carbon nanobelt, the group successfully installed twelve ester groups in a single transformation. Given the unique topology and optoelectronic properties of CNBs, this discovery is expected to accelerate their use not only in materials science, such as organic electronics and supramolecular chemistry, but also in emerging fields like life sciences.

 

Original article

Angewandte Chemie International Edition　doi: 10.1002/anie.202510544

T. Okumura, D. Imoto, Y. Arachi, A. Yagi, T. Maekawa, K. Itami,

"Twelvefold Dearomative Esterification of (6,6)Carbon Nanobelt".

Contact

Kenichiro Itami
Team Director
Expanded Chemical Space Research Team