Computational study of synergistic effects of electron withdrawing groups as catalysts for fullerene formation

Abstract

Abstract We have computationally modeled several derivatives of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon C18H10 to determine if replacing particular hydrogen atoms with chlorine, fluorine, nitro or amine groups would make pentagon closure more energetically favorable. Pentagon closure is the key to fullerene formation. Computational results show that replacing any hydrogen atom on C18H10 with a chlorine atom, except at the meta position to the pentagon closure site, makes pentagon closure more favorable. For fluorine, only the sites ortho and para to the pentagon closure site increase favorability. For nitro groups, every position had increased favorability for pentagon closure. For amine groups, every position except at the meta position to the pentagon closure site, makes pentagon closure more favorable. When multiple chlorine or fluorine atoms are placed on the same C18 model at sites that favor ring closure, there is a synergistic effect on the favorability of pentagon closure.