Non-Covalent Functionalisation of C30 Fullerene by Pyrrole-n-Carboxylic Acid (n=2, 3): Density Functional Theory Studies

Abstract

Abstract For functionalisation of a representative C30 fullerene nanostructure by pyrrole-n-carboxylic acid (PnCA; n=2, 3) their stabilities and properties were investigated based on density functional theory calculations. Parallel calculations were also done for C60 fullerene as evidence for comparing the results. Non-covalent interactions are considered to make the functionalised structures. In contrast with the spherical shape of C60, the shape of C30 fullerene is elliptical; therefore, the functionalisation processes were done for both axial and equatorial elliptical positions (AC30 and EC30). The results indicated that both the positions of C30 have almost equivalent chances to be functionalised by PnCA; but functionalisation by P2CA is slightly more favourable than P3CA, either for C60. The illustrated molecular orbitals’ distributions indicated that the direction of charge transfer could be considered from PnCA counterparts to fullerene counterparts. The molecular properties indicated more reactivity for C30 than for C60 fullerene. Finally, the atomic scale quadrupole coupling constants indicated different roles for N and O atoms of PnCA in the functionalised models.