Encapsulation of Small Base Molecules and Tetrahedral/Cubane-Like Clusters of Group V Atoms in the Boron Buckyball: A Density Functional Theory Study

Spherical Aromaticity of Tetrahedral Pnictogens through Off-Nucleus Isotropic Magnetic Shielding

This work revealed the spherical aromaticity of some inorganic E₄ cages and their protonated E₄ H⁺ ions (E=N, P, As, Sb, and Bi). For this purpose, we employed several evaluations like (0D-1D) nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS), multidimensional (2D-3D) off-nucleus isotropic shielding σ_iso (r), and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The magnetic calculations involved gauge-including atomic orbitals (GIAO) with two density functionals B3LYP and WB97XD, and basis sets of Jorge-ATZP, 6-311+G(d,p), and Lanl2DZp. The Jorge-ATZP basis set showed the best consistency. Our findings disclosed non-classical aromatic characters in the above molecules, which decreased from N to Bi cages. Also, the results showed more aromaticity in E₄ than E₄ H⁺ . The NBO analysis attributed the aromaticity in the above molecules to the residual density of the overlapping σ-bonding orbitals. So, the aromaticity in these molecules is unlike the classical aromaticity that is associated with electron delocalization. Scanning 1D σ_iso (r) variation along E-E bonds indicated a lowering in the shielding trend from N to Bi cages. The 3D results showed a similar decrease in the relative volumetric diffusion of the magnetic activity, whereas the volumetric ratio of V_1ppm /V_2ppm is almost constant for all the E₄ cages.

Fullerene-like boron clusters stabilized by an endohedrally doped iron atom: BnFe with n = 14, 16, 18 and 20

Stabilized fullerene and tubular forms can be produced in boron clusters B_nin small sizes fromn∼ 14 to 20 upon doping by transition metal atoms.

Density functional theory study of transition metals doped B80 fullerene

Density functional theory calculations have been carried out to investigate 3d, Pd and Pt transition metal (TM) atoms exohedrally and endohedrally doped B 80 fullerene. We find that the most preferred doping site of the TM atom gradually moves from the outer surface ( TM = Sc ), to the inner surface ( TM = Ti and V ) and the center ( TM = Cr , Mn , Fe and Zn ), then to the outer surface ( TM = Co , Ni , Cu , Pd , and Pt ) again with the TM atom varying from Sc to Pt . From the formation energy calculations, we find that doping TM atom can further improve the stability of B 80 fullerene. The magnetic moments of doped V , Cr , Mn , Fe , Co and Ni atoms are reduced from their free-atom values and other TM atoms are completely quenched. Charge transfer and hybridization between 4s and 3d states of TM and 2s and 2p states of B were observed. The energy gaps of TM @ B 80 are usually smaller than that of the pure B 80. Endohedrally doped B 80 fullerene with two Mn and two Fe atoms were also considered, respectively. It is found that the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state is more energetically favorable than the ferromagnetic (FM) state for Mn 2- and Fe 2@ B 80. The Mn and Fe atoms carry the residual magnetic moments of ~ 3 μB and 2 μB in the AFM states.