Reaction of Tl+ with corannulene: Experimental and theoretical study

Abstract

The interaction of Tl+ cation with corannulene was investigated by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). It was found that the thallium cation Tl+ forms with corannulene (C20H10) two cationic complexes [Tl(C20H10)]+ and [Tl(C20H10)2]+. Quantum chemical calculations proceed by density functional theory with two different functionals (B3LYP and M06-D3) provided the most probable structures of these complexes. In the energetically most favored conformation of [Tl(C20H10)]+ complex, the Tl+ cation lies on the apex of pyramid which base is formed by the central pentagon of the convexly oriented corannulene molecule. In the [Tl(C20H10)2]+ complex the “central” cation Tl+ is situated between two molecules of the corannulene ligand. Both ligand molecules are convex to the Tl+ cation. The interaction energies, E(int), of the considered cation-π complexes [Tl(C20H10)]+ and [Tl(C20H10)2]+ were calculated to be −121.75 and −176.98 kJ/mol, respectively.