Modeling of the molecular and electronic structures of multiple-decker sandwich macromolecules with η⁵-π bonds on the basis of biscyclopentadienyl derivatives ₆₀H₁₀ of a C₆₀ fullerene

Abstract

The molecular and electronic structures of the (CpFe)₂C₆₀H₁₀ complex of the D _5d symmetry, where Cp is the $^ \cdot C_5 H_5$ cyclopentadienyl radical, are simulated using the ab initio Hartree-Fock-Roothaan method in the 3–21G basis set. In this complex, hydrogen atoms are attached to carbon atoms of the C₆₀ fullerene which occupy α-positions with respect to two oppositely lying five-membered rings. Each FeCp semisandwich moiety is linked to atoms of one of these five-membered rings by the η⁵-π-type bond. It is found that the energy of the η⁵-π Fe-C₆₀H₁₀ bonds in the (CpFe)₂C₆₀H₁₀ complex is comparable to that of the η⁵-π Fe-Cp bond in the FeCp₂ ferrocene molecule. The optimum geometry calculated for the (CpFe)₂C₆₀H₁₀ complex is used for modeling of the structure of the quasi-linear macromolecule [-FeC₆₀H₁₀-]_n,

(I). The band structure of the energy spectrum of macromolecule I is calculated in the valence approximation of the extended Hückel method within the crystalline-orbital approach. The band gap in the spectrum of macromolecule I is ∼2.27 eV. The band structure of the spectrum of this macromolecule is compared with the spectra of the hypothetical molecules [-FeCp-]_n and [-FeC₂₀-]_n.