Syntheses and properties of macromolecular fullerenes, a review

The recent progress and prospects of macromolecular fullerenes with respect to their syntheses and properties are compiled and discussed. The variety of macrofullerenes with emphasis on C60 and C70 is presented and synthetic concepts of polymer derivatives of fullerenes are outlined. After a concise consideration of the fundamentals of fullerene reactivity, both major types of fullerene-containing polymers, main-chain and side-chain polymers, together with special types, such as telechelic, macrocyclic, dendrimeric and star-shaped fullerene materials, are covered. Also, the synthesis of fullerene-containing copolymers via radical polyreactions and preparative aspects of surface-attached fullerenes are described. The properties of the macromolecular fullerene derivatives are discussed in view of their structure and application. Finally, the role of macrofullerenes for new materials or their precursors is elucidated.