Encapsulation of transition metals in aluminum nitride fullerene: TM@(AlN)12 (TM = Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni)

The structure and stability of endohedral TM@(AlN)₁₂ (TM = Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) complexes are studied at the level of density functional theory. It is found that complexes with TM = Mn, Fe, and Ni are energy minimum structures with TM at the cage center in T _h symmetry, while those with TM = Ti and Co have more negative inclusion energies and the off-centered structures with TM placed towards one hexagon face in C ₁ symmetry. The calculations predict that the HOMO and LUMO energy gap of TM@(AlN)₁₂ differs from those of the (AlN)₁₂ cage and a free TM atom. The amount of charge that is transferred from the encapsulated guests to the cage increases with the atomic radius. The electronic and magnetic properties of TM@(AlN)₁₂ are discussed.