Regioselective Oxidation of Fused-Pentagon Chlorofullerenes

Open-shell nature of non-IPR fullerene С40: isomers 29 (C2) and 40 (Td)

It is well-known that the small non-IPR fullerenes C_n (n < 60) are highly unstable and that is why they cannot be obtained as empty cages. However, they become stable as exohedral or endohedral derivatives. In this report, the molecular structures of non-IPR isomers 29 (C₂) and 40 (T_d) of fullerene C₄₀ are investigated using a semiempirical approach developed earlier for higher fullerenes. Quantum-chemical calculations (DFT) show that isomers 29 (C₂) and 40 (T_d) have open-shell structures. The distributions of single, double, and delocalized π-bonds in the isomer molecules in question are presented for the first time as well as their molecular formulas. It is found unusual for higher fullerenes chain of π-bonds passing through some cycles. Identified features in the structures of small fullerene molecules can be predictive of the ability to their synthesis as derivatives and will assist in their structure determination.

Strain Release of Fused Pentagons in Fullerene Cages by Chemical Functionalization

According to the isolated pentagon rule (IPR), for stable fullerenes, the 12 pentagons should be isolated from one another by hexagons, otherwise the fused pentagons will result in an increase in the local steric strain of the fullerene cage. However, the successful isolation of more than 100 endohedral and exohedral fullerenes containing fused pentagons over the past 20 years has shown that strain release of fused pentagons in fullerene cages is feasible. Herein, we present a general overview on fused-pentagon-containing (i.e. non-IPR) fullerenes through an exhaustive review of all the types of fused-pentagon-containing fullerenes reported to date. We clarify how the strain of fused pentagons can be released in different manners, and provide an in-depth understanding of the role of fused pentagons in the stability, electronic properties, and chemical reactivity of fullerene cages.

Epoxy and Oxidoannulene Oxidation Mechanisms of Fused-Pentagon Chlorofullerenes: Oxides Linked by a Pirouette-Type Transition State

Recently, the oxidative functionalization of double-fused-pentagon (DFP)-containing chlorofullerenes ^#271C₅₀Cl₁₀ and ^#913C₅₆Cl₁₀ was carried out, resulting in two monoepoxides with the oxygen atom added at the ortho site of pentalene on the DFP moiety. To uncover the reactivity of isolated-pentagon-rule violating fullerenes upon oxidation, two possible formation processes (ozone molecule and oxygen radical served as oxidation reagents) of these two oxides were systematically investigated through density functional theory calculations. For the ozone oxidation, two possible pathways were explored, and the results indicate that the biradical mechanism Path_os-RACDP is kinetically more favorable than Path_os-RABP, where R, A, and P represent reactants, ozonide intermediates, and oxidation products and B, C, and D represent another three oxygen-containing intermediates. The products obtained by ozone oxidation ([6,6]-55-closed epoxides P-C₃-C₂₉ for ^#271C₅₀Cl₁₀ and P-C₄₂-C₄₃ for ^#913C₅₆Cl₁₀ with oxygen atom added at the shortest and highest HOMO-contribution bonds) are consistent with experimental observations. However, the oxygen radical additions on these two chlorofullerenes favor generation of the [5,6]-66-open oxidoannulene adducts P-C₃-C₂ and P-C₄₂-C₅₄, respectively. Subsequent analyses of their geometrical features and structural stabilities suggest that these two oxidoannulene adducts are energetically unfavorable and could be converted to more stable epoxides mentioned above by undergoing a pirouette-type transition state. In these two diverse oxidation procedures, the favorable C-C bonds for ozone attacking and C atoms for oxygen-adsorption are rationalized in terms of their bond lengths and HOMO contributions as well as pyramidalization angles.