Editing Buckminsterfullerene (section)

===Endohedral fullerenes===
{{main|Endohedral fullerene|Endohedral hydrogen fullerene}}

Metal atoms or certain small molecules such as H<sub>2</sub> and noble gas can be encapsulated inside the C<sub>60</sub> cage. These endohedral fullerenes are usually synthesized by doping in the metal atoms in an arc reactor or by laser evaporation. These methods gives low yields of endohedral fullerenes, and a better method involves the opening of the cage, packing in the atoms or molecules, and closing the opening using certain [[organic reactions]]. This method, however, is still immature and only a few species have been synthesized this way.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Rodríguez-Fortea | first1 = Antonio | last2 = Balch | first2 = Alan L. | last3 = Poblet | first3 = Josep M. | year = 2011 | title = Endohedral metallofullerenes: a unique host–guest association | journal = Chem. Soc. Rev. | volume = 40 | issue = 7| pages = 3551–3563 | doi = 10.1039/C0CS00225A | pmid = 21505658}}</ref>

Endohedral fullerenes show distinct and intriguing chemical properties that can be completely different from the encapsulated atom or molecule, as well as the fullerene itself. The encapsulated atoms have been shown to perform circular motions inside the C<sub>60</sub> cage, and their motion has been followed using [[NMR spectroscopy]].<ref name="SupraChem" />