Simulation of the molecular and electronic structure of C60 fullerene π-complex with twelve half-sandwich species FeC5H5

The problem of existence of ⁵--complexes of fullerenes and their derivatives is discussed. The stability of the ⁵--complex C₆₀(FeCp)₁₂ (viz., icosahedral C₆₀ fullerene coated with twelve FeCp groups, each coordinated to its own pentagonal face of the fullerene cage) was first estimated in the framework of density functional approach (PBE approximation). The molecular and electronic structure of a biradical complex of C₆₀ fullerene with ten FeCp groups, C₆₀(FeCp)₁₀ (D _5d symmetry), and a 2⁵--complex of substituted fullerene H₁₀C₆₀, H₁₀C₆₀(FeCp)₂ (D _5d symmetry) in which hydrogen atoms are attached to the C atoms in the -positions relative to the atoms of the polar five-membered cycles, was simulated. According to calculations, the coated complex, I _h-C₆₀(FeCp)₁₂, should be much more stable than the complex of naked fullerene with one or two polarly located FeCp groups and only slightly less stable than the ferrocene molecule FeCp₂. The existence of C₆₀(FeCp)₁₂ and H₁₀C₆₀(FeCp)₂ complexes was suggested.     

Synthesis of New Iron-Containing Carbon Cages by Reaction of C60 Fullerene with Ferrocene

Reaction of C₆₀ fullerene with ferrocene in the presence of aluminum chloride and aluminum in an inert atmosphere gave ferrocenyl-substituted fullerene 2C₆₀ ·1.5(C₅H₅)₂Fe ·3H₂O. The product is a thermally stable iron-containing carbon cage in which the intersphere cavity is formed by three C₆₀ polyhedra and is closed by cyclopentadienyl ligands via formation of four carbon-carbon bonds.     

Electronic and Chemical Characterization of Aluminum–Nitrogen (AlN) Substituted Fullerenes: C58AlN to C24Al12N12

Density functional theory calculations (B3LYP/6-311G*) are applied to devise a series of AlN-substituted C₆₀ fullerenes, avoiding weak homonuclear Al–Al and N–N bonds. The substitutional structures, energy gaps between the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, ionization potentials, binding energies, as well as dipole moments have been systematically investigated. The band gap (HOMO–LUMO gap) is larger for all the AlN-substituted fullerenes than C₆₀. The properties of heterofullerenes, especially, the HOMO–LUMO strongly depend on the number of AlN units. Natural charge analyses indicate that doping of fullerene with AlN units exerts electronic environment diversity to the cage. High charge transfer on the surfaces of our heterofullerenes provokes more studies on their possible application for hydrogen storage.     

Palm-tree architectures derived from C60-terminated polystyrene

By grafting polystyryllithium (PSLi) or polyisoprenyllithium (PILi) onto the fullerene borne by the mono-adduct polystyrene (PS)-C₆₀ (≈90%) obtained upon reacting the fullerene with azide-terminated PS, fairly well-defined palm-tree like polymers PS_aC₆₀(PS_b)₅ and block copolymers PS_aC₆₀(PI)₅ could be obtained. In these architectures, 5 PS (PI) branches of equal length are connected to a PS trunk through a single fullerene molecule.     

Fused-Pentagon Isomers of C60 Fullerene Isolated as Chloro and Trifluoromethyl Derivatives

The carbon cage of buckminsterfullerene I_h-C₆₀, which obeys the Isolated-Pentagon Rule (IPR), can be transformed to non-IPR cages in the course of high-temperature chlorination of C₆₀ or C₆₀Cl₃₀ with SbCl₅. The non-IPR chloro derivatives were isolated chromatographically (HPLC) and characterized crystallographically as ¹⁸⁰⁹C₆₀Cl₁₆, ¹⁸¹⁰C₆₀Cl₂₄, and ¹⁸⁰⁵C₆₀Cl₂₄, which contain, respectively two, four, and four pairs of fused pentagons in the carbon cage. High-temperature trifluoromethylation of the chlorination products with CF₃I afforded a non-IPR CF₃ derivative, ¹⁸⁰⁷C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂, which contains four pairs of fused pentagons in the carbon cage. Addition patterns of non-IPR chloro and CF₃ derivatives were compared and discussed in terms of the formation of stabilizing local substructures on fullerene cages. A detailed scheme of the experimentally confirmed non-IPR C₆₀ isomers obtained by Stone–Wales cage transformations is presented.     

Modeling of the molecular and electronic structures of some mono- and biosmium complexes of fullerene C60

The modeling of the molecular and electronic structures of the following mono- and biosmium complexes of fullerene C₆₀ was performed by quantum chemical methods (MNDO/PM3 and DFT/PBE): (??²-C₆₀)[Os(PPh₃)₂(CO)CNMe], (??²,??²-C₆₀)[Os(PPh₃)₂(CO)(CNMe)]₂, (??²-C₆₀)[Os(PH₃)₂(CO)H], (??²,??²-C₆₀)[Os(PH₃)₂(CO)H]₂, (??²-C₆₀)[Os(PH₃)₂(CO)CNMe], (??²,??²-C₆₀)[Os(PH₃)₂(CO)CNMe]₂, and (5-C₆₀H₅)[Os(C₅H₅)], (5, 5-C₆₀H₁₀)[Os(C₅H₅)]₂.The osmium atoms in the first six complexes are ??²-coordinated by fullerene C₆₀. In the last two complexes, the ??⁵-coordination mode is observed. The structures of the radical anions of these complexes were calculated. The energies of the frontier orbitals were evaluated. The acceptor properties of the complexes are discussed. The electron affinities were estimated in two ways: from the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and as the energy difference between the neutral molecule and its radical anion.     

NMR Properties of Polylithiated C60

Endohedral, ¹³C, ⁷Li, and nucleus‐independent (NICS) chemical shifts are reported for selected Li_nC₆₀ isomers (n = 6, 12, 18) at the GIAO (gauge‐including atomic orbitals)‐SCF/DZP//BP86/3–21G level. Li₆C₆₀ closely resembles C₆₀^6– in terms of NMR criteria for aromaticity, as evidenced by an exceptionally high endohedral shielding. In contrast, nonaromaticity is indicated for Li₁₂C₆₀, based on a positive endohedral chemical shift. NICS and δ(endo) values very similar to those of Li₁₂C₆₀ are obtained for Li₁₈C₆₀. According to population analysis, indeed the same number of electrons are transferred to the fullerene cage in both cases. Endohedral chemical shifts, accessible via ³He NMR of the corresponding endohedral helium compounds, could thus be a valuable indicator for the extent of reduction of the C₆₀ molecule. Energetic estimates suggest that in the bulk, Li₁₂C₆₀ should be unstable with respect to decomposition into Li₆C₆₀ and lithium metal.     

A computational study of the endohedral fullerene GeH4@C60

The structures, stabilities, and electronic properties of the endohedral fullerene GeH₄@C₆₀ have been systematically studied by using the hybrid DFT-B3PW91 functional in conjunction with 6-31G(d) basis sets. Our calculated results show that the GeH₄ molecule is more compact in the center of the C₆₀ cage and exists in molecular form inside the fullerene. The Zero-Point and BSSE corrected binding energy of GeH₄@C₆₀ is −1.77 eV. The calculated HOMO–LUMO energy gap, the vertical ionization potentials (VIP) and vertical electron affinities (VEA) are similar to that of C₆₀ cage. It is indicated that GeH₄@C₆₀ also seems to be very stable species. Natural population analysis on the GeH₄@C₆₀ reveals that the central GeH₄ only gain −0.06 charges from the C₆₀ cage. Additionally, the vibrational frequencies and active infrared intensities of GeH₄@C₆₀ are also discussed.     

Metal complexes of allyl derivatives of C60 fullerene: molecular and electronic structure prediction from density functional calculations

The problem of existence of ³—-complexes of C₆₀ fullerene with transition metal atoms is discussed. The complexes C₆₀R₃Co(CO)₃ (R = H, F, Cl, Br), C₆₀H₃NiCp, and C₆₀H₃Fe(CO)Cp, where C₆₀R₃ is an allyl derivative of C₆₀ fullerene, were shown to be sufficiently stable. In these complexes the metal atoms are ³—-bound to the fullerene cage. In contrast to this, the metal atoms in the C₆₀H₃Li and C₆₀H₃FeCp complexes are ⁵—-coordinated to the carbon cage. Density functional calculations were carried out with the Perdew—Burke—Ernzerhof exchange-correlation potential (PBE). It was concluded that the type of bonding in the complexes of allyl derivatives of C₆₀ fullerene depends on the nature of the species attached. Among the systems studied, the maximum energy of the ³—-bond was obtained for the C₆₀H₃NiCp complex. The results obtained can be useful in the design of synthesis of new fullerene derivatives with the ³—-coordination of the transition metal atoms to the carbon cage.     

Facile Multiple Alkylations of C60 Fullerene

The reduction of fullerene (C₆₀) with sodium dispersion in the presence of an excess amount of dipropyl sulfate was found to yield highly propylated fullerene, C₆₀(nC₃H₇)_n (max. n = 24), and C₆₀(nC₃H₇)₂₀ was predominantly generated as determined by mass spectroscopy.     

Theoretical study on the structures and electron spectra of C60M12 (M=Li,Na, Be)

Intermediate neglect of differential overlap (INDO) method was used to study the structures and the electronic spectra of C₆₀M₁₂ (M=Li, Na, Be). The calculations indicate that in the minimal energy configuration of C₆₀M₁₂ (M=Li, Na) the C₆₀ cage still retains I_h symmetry and the 12 Li or Na atoms are symmetrically located above the pentagons of the C₆₀ cage, whereas the difference between the double and single bonds has been significantly reduced. In contrast, because six electrons are filled in the fivefold‐degenerated h_g orbital of C₆₀, the C_s structure of C₆₀Be₁₂ has illustrated the occurrence of Jahn‐Teller distortion. Based on the optimized geometries, the electronic absorption spectra were calculated and the nature of red shift was discussed. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 73: 505–509, 1999     

Synergistic Effect of Phosphite with FuUerene C60 and Fullerenol C60（OH）24 as Antioxidants in Polypropylene

Polypropylene samples with fullerene C60, fullerenol C60（OH）24, 1010, C60/168, C60-OH/168 and 1010/168 as antioxidants were prepared by extrusions. MFR, YI, TGA and OIT of all the samples were tested. According to the results of MFR, during the melt extrusion, fullerene showed excellent stability effect on PP. The antioxidative ability of fullerene was comparable to the traditional antioxidant 1010. The antioxidative ability of fullerenol was not significant in the first extrusion and it accelerated the degradation of PP in the second and the third extrusions. TGA and OIT tests showed that the stability effects of fullerene and fullerenol were slightly lower than antioxidant 1010. In the first time, antioxidant 168 was reported to show great synergistic effects with fullerene and fullerenol as antioxidants, which sussested a simple way to enhance the antioxidative abilities of fullerene and fullerenol.     

A 2:1 Receptor/C60 Complex as a Nanosized Universal Joint

Buckycatcher II, a C₅₁H₂₄ hydrocarbon with two corannulene pincers on a dibenzonorbornadiene tether, exhibits an affinity toward C₆₀ in organic solvents that is dramatically higher than the original buckycatcher C₆₀H₂₈ and other corannulene‐based molecular receptors for fullerenes. In addition to the formation of an usual 1:1 C₆₀@catcher inclusion complex, a trimeric C₆₀@(catcher)₂ assembly is detected in solutions and in the solid state. X‐ray structure determination reveals a remarkable “universal joint” solvent‐free crystal arrangement of the trimer, with a single fullerene cage wrapped by four corannulene subunits of two cooperating catcher receptors.     

Can a Single Molecule of Water be Completely Isolated Within the Subnano‐Space Inside the Fullerene C60 Cage? A Quantum Chemical Prospective

Based on an experimental observation, it has been controversially suggested in a study (Kurotobi et al., Science 2011 , 33, 613) that a single molecule of water can completely be localized within the subnano‐space inside the fullerene C₆₀ cage and, that neither the H atoms nor the O lone‐pairs are linked, either via hydrogen bonding or through dative bonding, with the interior C‐framework of the C₆₀ cage. To resolve the controversy, electronic structure calculations were performed by using the density functional theory, together with the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, the natural population and bond orbital analyses, and the results were analyzed by using varieties of recommended diagnostics often used to interpret noncovalent interactions. The present results reveal that the mechanically entrapped H₂O molecule is not electronically innocent of the presence of the cage; each H atom of H₂O is weakly O? H???C₆₀ bonded, whereas the O lone‐pairs are O???C₆₀ bonded regardless of the conformations investigated. Exploration of various featured properties suggests that H₂O@C₆₀ may be regarded as a unique system composed of both inter‐ and intramolecular interactions.     

Interaction Between C60 Fullerene and Alkali Metals Demonstrating Superconductivity

A discret summation method [1] has been used to calculate the van der Waals dispersion interactions between an alkali metal atom and individual C₆₀ fullerene molecules, as well as between an intercalated alkali metal atom and the face-centred-cubic lattice of solid fullerite. It is known [2, 3] that the conductivities observed in the doped C₆₀ films vary considerably for different alkali atoms. Our interest was to investigate any correlation between these conductivities and the long range potential field behaviour. In the present study, we have obtained interaction potential curves of the C₆₀ fullerene molecule including within its cage, as well the potential field topography within the overall C₆₀ fullerite solid unit cell. We have found that for all intercalated alkali metals, except Cs, there are voids within the unit-cell of fullerite where the dopant experiences attractive interactions. Whereas on the other hand, inside the fullerene cage only Li and Na experience attractive forces. Importantly, it has been shown that the localization of the crystallographic sites [4] of doped alkali metals in fullerite coincide with the potential energy minima of long range van der Waals forces.     

Magnetic Coupling and Optical Properties of the S6‐Dodecakis(trifluoromethyl)fullerene Radical Anions in the Layered Salt (PPN+)[C60(CF3)12.−]

Poly(trifluoromethyl)fullerene S₆‐C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂ was reduced by sodium fluorenone ketyl in the presence of (PPN)Cl (PPN=bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium) to afford the salt (PPN)[C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂] ( 1 ), which contains C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂^.? radical anions. In the crystal structure of 1 , C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂^.? layers alternate with the PPN⁺ cations. There are short F ??? F contacts between C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂^.? radical anions within the layers but no C ??? C contacts. DFT calculations revealed that the negative charge on C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂^.? is distributed mainly between sp² carbon and fluorine atoms, whereas spin density is localized mainly on the fullerene‐cage sp² carbon atoms. IR and UV/Vis/NIR spectra in the solid state and solution showed characteristic changes relative to those of neutral S₆‐C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂ due to the formation of radical anions. The solid‐state electronic spectrum of 1 exhibits a single broad band at 738 nm attributed to C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂^.?. Crystals of 1 show a narrow EPR signal with g=2.0025 (ΔH=0.45 mT) at 300 K. The temperature dependence of the integral intensity follows the Curie–Weiss law with a negative Weiss temperature of ?11.8 K (30–300 K) indicating antiferromagnetic interaction of spins. This dependence was approximated by the Heisenberg model for one‐dimensional chains of antiferromagnetically interacting spins with exchange interaction J/k_B=?9.1 K. It was assumed that magnetic interaction between the C₆₀(CF₃)₁₂^.? spins in the layers is mediated by short F ??? F contacts.     

Novel BC2N Nanocages: A DFT Investigation

We modeled and studied three types of novel B₁₂C₂₄N₁₂ cages. The structure of these cages was inspired by those of BC₂N nanotubes and the B₂₄N₂₄ fulborene skeleton. Density functional theory was used to investigate the various properties of the cages. All three isomers of B₁₂C₂₄N₁₂ were vibrationally stable. The highest occupied molecular orbital‐lowest unoccupied molecular orbital band gap was dependent on the BC₂N cage type. The B₁₂C₂₄N₁₂‐II cage was the most favorable nanocage and exhibited a large electric dipole moment. Natural bonding orbital (NBO) analysis confirmed the existence of lone pairs and unoccupied orbitals in the B₁₂C₂₄N₁₂ cages. New donor–acceptor interactions of natural MOs (Molecular Orbitals) were observed in BC₂N nanocages. The NBO and atomic polar tensor charges appeared to be fairly well correlated, showing that atomic charges can be obtained at a lower computational cost in this way.     

An Isomer of C60Cl10 Free of Skew‐Pentagonal‐Pyramidal C60Cl6 Substructure

Chlorination is an effective approach for understanding the feature of multiple additions on fullerene cages. The chlorofullerenes obtained are versatile synthons for further derivatization. However, chlorofullerenes used for chemical reaction studies are mainly based on the skew‐pentagonal‐pyramidal (SPP) C₆₀Cl₆. In this work, a new isomer of C₆₀Cl₁₀ that does not contain an SPP‐C₆₀Cl₆ substructure was identified. Its electrochemical properties give it unexpected cyclic voltammetric behavior at more negative potentials relative to other chlorofullerenes. Friedel–Crafts arylation shows good reactivity of this compound. These new findings challenge opinions of fullerene addition patterns and will break the monopoly of C₆₀Cl₆ as a precursor for fullerene modifications.