Conformational Analysis of C60 Ball-and-Chain Molecules: a Molecular Orbital Study

A computational study of the conformational analysis of a series of C60 ball-and-chain bichromophoric molecules (1)-(6) has been carried out by means of the AM1 and HF/3-21G//AM1 theoretical methods. It is found that the AM1 method underestimates both the relative conformational energies and the magnitude of the energy barriers folded and extended conformers. In contrast, the HF/3-21G//AM1 method gives reasonable values for these quantities. The HF/3-21G//AM1 calculated energy differences between the folded and extended conformers of systems (2)-(5) are less than 5 kJ/mol and the barriers to their interconversion are c. 30 kJ/mol. The conformational bias in these systems may be modified by the judicious placement of methyl groups in the region of the hydrocarbon chain closest to the C60 cage. It is found that the length of the chain and the nature of the non-C60. chromophore have little effect on the conformational energetics.