Carbon Nanostructures: Covalent and Macromolecular Chemistry

The aim of this introductory chapter is to bring to the attention of the readers the achievements made in the chemistry of carbon nanostructures and, mostly, in the chemistry of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and the most recent graphenes. Since the discovery of fullerenes in 1985 and their further preparation in multigram amounts, the chemistry and reactivity of these molecular carbon allotropes have been well established. Actually, this chemical reactivity has been used as a benchmark for further studies carried out in the coming carbon nanotubes (single and multiple wall) and graphenes. Assuming that the fundamental chemistry of fullerenes is known and basically corresponds to that of typical electron-deficient alkenes, we have mainly focused on the chemistry of fullerene-containing polymers. In this regard, the combination of the unique fullerenes with the highly versatile polymer chemistry has afforded a new and interdisciplinary field in which the resulting architectures are able to exhibit unprecedented properties. The basic knowledge of this important topic of macromolecular chemistry of fullerenes nicely complements the following chapters devoted to their supramolecular chemistry.