Six IPR isomers of C90 fullerene captured as chlorides: carbon cage connectivities and chlorination patterns

Three C(90) fractions were isolated by multi-step HPLC from fullerene soot obtained from direct current (DC) arc discharge of undoped graphite rods. C(90) of each fraction was chlorinated with VCl(4) or SbCl(5) in ampoules at 290-310 °C, affording a series of C(90)Cl(n) compounds. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography with the use of synchrotron radiation resulted in structure elucidation of seven C(90)Cl(n) compounds containing six different isolated pentagon rule (IPR) C(90) cages (the number of the C(90) isomer is given in the parentheses): C(90)(46)Cl(32) (I), C(90)(34)Cl(32) (II), C(90)(35)Cl(24) (III), and C(90)(35)Cl(28) (IV), C(90)(32)Cl(24) (V as co-crystals with III), co-crystals of C(90)(30)Cl(22) and C(90)(28)Cl(24) (VI), and C(90)(28)Cl(24) (VII). Cage connectivities of C(90) isomers 35 and 28 have been crystallographically confirmed for the first time. The chlorination patterns of the C(90)Cl(n) molecules are discussed in terms of the formation of isolated aromatic systems and isolated C=C double bonds on the fullerene cage. The distribution of six C(90) isomers in three HPLC fractions is compared with data from the literature.