Sandwich complexes of Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb with cyclopentadienyl type derivatives of corannulene and fullerene C60: stability estimates and molecular and electronic structure prediction by the MNDO/PM3 method.

The ability of cyclopentadienyl type derivatives of corannulene C₂₀H₁₀ and fullerene I _h -C₆₀ to form η⁵-π-complexes and the problem of their existence is discussed. MNDO/PM3 calculations of half-sandwich complexes η⁵-π-MC₂₀H₁₅, η⁵-π-MC₂₀H, η⁵-π-MC₆₀H₅, η⁵-π-MC₆₀H₅ and sandwich complexes 2η⁵-π-M(C₂₀H₁₅)₂, 2η⁵-π-M(C₂₀H₁₅)₂, 2η⁵-π-M(C₆₀H₅)₂ (M=Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) were performed. For all systems studied, local minima were found on corresponding potential energy surfaces and the heats of formation, geometric parameters, and distributions of effective atomic charges were calculated. Sandwich complexes are most likely to exist with M=Si and Ge. The energy and geometric characteristics of η⁵-π-complexes of corannulene were compared with those of η⁵-π-complexes of fullerene I _h -C₆₀. It was concluded that the results of quantum-chemical calculations of sandwich type corannulene derivatives can be used for simulation of the geometry and electronic structure of analogous complexes of fullerene I _h -C₆₀. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]