An unprecedented hybrid dumbbell consisting of a metallofullerene and an empty fullerene was afforded via simple click reaction of suitable precursor derivatives of Sc₃N@C₈₀ and a C₆₀ hexakisadduct. The structure of synthetic endohedral clusterfullerene-based dumbbell was unambiguously characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The electronic structure was carefully studied by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy revealing its exceptional electronic behaviour compared to parental building blocks. In combine with the electronic property study of congener dimer on basis of solo C₆₀, the peculiar electronic property of dumbbell is unveiled. Our success on the first construction of endohedral clusterfullerene dumbbell opens up a new perspective in fullerene chemistry.

Scheme 1: Schematic synthesis route of dumbbell