An entrant of smaller fullerene: C56 captured by chlorines and aligned in linear chains

J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Nov 19;130(46):15240-1. doi: 10.1021/ja806352v. Epub 2008 Oct 29.

Abstract

A smaller fullerene C56 (#913) is stabilized, isolated, and crystallographically characterized as C56Cl10. The geometric parameters of C56Cl10 imply the otherwise unstable cage of C56 can be stabilized by chlorination through releasing its surface strains and maintaining fragmental aromaticity. An unexpected C Cl...ClC short contact, as well as the linear alignment with pearl-necklace-shaped, is revealed in C56Cl10 crystal.