Abstract
The Stone-Wales rearrangement has long been considered as a plausible, albeit hypothetical, mechanism for fullerene annealing and isomerizations. In the view of a recently applied new catalyst, KCN, for incorporation of noble gases in fullerenes, the CN radical is studied here computationally as a possible catalytic species acting in kinetics of the Stone-Wales fullerene transformation, and a possible role of K + is also investigated. The computations are performed on the PM3-optimized bowl-shaped model C 34H 12 to which the CN radical is attached by its C or N atom. The activation energies are evaluated at the UPM3, UHF/6-31G*, UB3LYP / 6-31G*, ROB3LYP/6-31G*, ROHF/6-31G**, and ROB3LYP/6-31G** levels. However, the reduction of the kinetic barrier owing to the catalyst action is modest so that a free N atom, neutral or charged, still remains a more efficient option. Effects of negatively charged CN species and of K + are also found insufficient. Small amounts of nitrogen are indeed always present during fullerene synthesis, especially from He gas.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 634-639 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | International Journal of Quantum Chemistry |
Volume | 99 |
Issue number | 5 SPEC. ISS. |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 15 2004 |
Keywords
- Catalysis
- Fullerenes
- N and CN radicals
- Stone-Wales isomerizations
- UHF and ROHF treatments
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry