Regioselective chlorine-addition reaction toward C54Cl8 and role of chlorine atoms in Stone-Wales rearrangement

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.

Theoretical studies on the structural and spectral properties of two specific C54 isomers and the chlorinated species C54Cl8

X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra as well as the ground-state electronic/geometrical structures of ^#540C₅₄ captured in experiment and the most controversial isomer ^#369C₅₄ (C_2v- and C_s-symmetry, respectively) have been calculated at the density functional theory (DFT) level. After chlorination, significant changes were observed in the electronic structure and X-ray spectra. Both XPS and NEXAFS spectra showed strong isomer dependence. The results indicated that the “fingerprints” in the X-ray spectra afforded an effective way to identify the fullerene isomers mentioned above. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy of C₅₄Cl₈ was also simulated at the time-dependent (TD) DFT level, and the simulated UV-Vis spectrum was in accordance with the experimental result. The results of this study can provide valuable information for further experimental and theoretical studies of new fullerenes and their derivatives through X-ray and ultraviolet spectroscopy. The study of newly synthesized fullerene isomers and their derivatives using X-ray and UV-Vis spectra offers valuable information for further experimental and theoretical exploration.

Chloride derivatives of fullerenes containing TSFP, TDFP and DFP carbon sites were characterized by spectral simulation.

Salvaging Reactive Fullerenes from Soot by Exohedral Derivatization

The awesome allotropy of carbon yields innumerable topologically possible cage structures of molecular carbon. This field is also related to endohedral metallofullerenes constructed by metal-atom encapsulation. Stable and soluble empty fullerenes and endohedral metallofullerenes are available in pure form in macroscopic amounts from carbon arc production or other physical processes followed by extraction and subsequent chromatographic separation. However, many other unidentified fullerene species, which must be reactive and insoluble in their pristine forms, remain in soot. These "missing" species must have extremely small HOMO-LUMO gaps and may have unconventional cage structures. Recent progress in this field has demonstrated that reactive fullerenes can be salvaged by exohedral derivatization, which can stabilize the reactive carbon cages. This concept provides a means of preparing macroscopic amounts of unconventional fullerenes as their derivatives.