Electronic structure and reactivity of endohedral fullerenes

Identifier:  TDX:931

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX931

Authors:  Valencia Maturana, Ramon

Abstract:
We have extended the application of the general rule for the stabilization of nitride EMFs proposed by Campanera et al. to IPR carbon cages of dimensions up to C100. This simple rule, based on the formal transfer of six electrons from the cluster to the carbon cage, can be seen as an empirical rule that is able to predict the most abundant cage isomer for all the nitride EMFs known to date. Some EMF with M2 clusters, however, seem to escape this simple rule. We have proposed six large carbon cages (from C92 to C100) with sizeable (LUMO-4)–(LUMO-3) gaps and achievable energies as candidates for encapsulating metal nitride units or M2 clusters on condition that the formal six-electron transfer and other factors are accomplished. We have confirmed that the ionic model based on the formal transfer of four electrons from the encapsulated M2C2 carbide to the carbon cage is valid for the M2C2@C82 family. We have observed that the internal metal- carbide cluster is able to rotate inside the carbon cage. Using the aforesaid ionic model we have understood the higher stability of M2C2@C82 (C3v:8) when compared to carbide endohedrals with other IPR C82 isomers. The electrochemical properties for a series of EMFs have been studied theoretically. Analogously to the neutral M3N@Ih-C80 (M = Sc and Y) systems, rotation of the M3N unit inside the fullerene cage is predicted for the neutral, oxidized and reduced states of all the nitride EMFs with IPR cages studied through this work (from Sc3N@D5h-C80 to La3N@C96).