Construction of Heptagon‐Containing Molecular Nanocarbons

Abstract

Molecular nanocarbons containing heptagonal rings have attracted increasing interest due to their dynamic behavior, electronic properties, aromaticity, and solid‐state packing. Heptagon incorporation can not only induce negative curvature within nanocarbon scaffolds, but also confer significantly altered properties through interaction with adjacent non‐hexagonal rings. Despite the disclosure of several beautiful examples in recent years, synthetic strategies toward heptagon‐embedded molecular nanocarbons remain relatively limited due to the intrinsic challenges of heptagon formation and incorporation into polyarene frameworks. In this minireview, recent advances in solution‐mediated and surface‐assisted synthesis of heptagon‐embedded molecular nanocarbons, as well as the intriguing properties of these frameworks, will be discussed.