Transition metal fullerene complex

A transition metal fullerene complex is a coordination complex wherein fullerene serves as a ligand. Fullerenes are typically spheroidal carbon compounds, the most prevalent being buckminsterfullerene, C₆₀.

One year after it was prepared in milligram quantities in 1990, C₆₀ was shown to function as a ligand in the complex [Ph₃P]₂Pt(η²-C₆₀).

Since this report, a variety of transition metals and binding modes were demonstrated. Most transition metal fullerene complex are derived from C₆₀, although other fullerenes also coordinate to metals as seen with C₇₀Rh(H)(CO)(PPh₃)₂.