Higher Diamondoids from Petroleum: Potential Building Blocks for Nanotechnology

R.M.K. Carlson, J.E. Dahl, S. G. Liu, and W.R. Qureshi
ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures, US

Keywords: higher diamondoids, petroleum, nanotechnology

Abstract:
Diamond-structured molecules have attractive properties for applications in nanotechnology, nanomaterials and structure-based drug design. We have identified and isolated a variety of higher diamondoids (1-2 nm size hydrogen terminated diamonds) including tetramantanes, pentamantanes, hexamantanes, heptamantanes, octamantanes, a nonamantane and a decamantane from petroleum. These molecules (C22 and higher polymantanes) contain from four to eleven diamond crystal cages. Exceptional thermal stability and diverse geometries make possible their isolation from petroleum. Structures of a tetramantane, four pentamantanes, a methyl-pentamantane, and a heptamantane were proven by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. As members of the H-terminated diamond series, higher diamondoids have great strength and rigidity, and also show a remarkable variety of 3-dimensional shapes, including resolvable chiral forms. They are readily derivatized allowing customized mechanical, electronic and biomedical properties.

NSTI Nanotech 2003 Conference Technical Program Abstract