Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.56, No.19, 11883-11890, 2017
Quantum Chemical Insight into La2C96: Metal Carbide Fullerene La2C2@C-94 versus Dimetallofullerene La-2@C-96
A family of dilanthanum-containing endohedral metallofullerene La2C2n (n = 46-51) was synthesized recently. In the present work, a systematical investigation on La2C96 series including the carbide clusterfullerene form La2C2@C-94 and the conventional dimetallofullerene form La-2@C-96 was implemented by density functional theory, combined with statistical mechanics. Three isomers, i.e., La-2@ D-2(191838)-C-96, La2C2@C-s(153479)-C-94, and La2C2@CI(153491)-C-94 were disclosed to be thermodynamically stable at the temperature region of endohedral metallofullerene formation. La-2@D-2(191838)-C-96 is the prevailing isomer at low temperature, while La2C2@C-s(153479)-C-94. and La2C2@CI(153491)-C-94 are the most and second -most abundant isomers at high temperature. Interestingly, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of La2C2@C,(153491)-C-94 is distributed on one pole of the cage, and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of this isomer is mainly located on the equator of the cage, which can facilitate synthesis of regioselective derivatives. This work will provide useful information for further experimental identification and application of La2C96.