1,3-Dioxane inside fullerenes: the innovative conformational behavior of usual cyclic system

Abstract

Conformational transformations of unsubstituted 1,3-dioxane in the cavities of fullerenes with 60, 70 and 80 atoms in their shells have been investigated using PBE/3ζ density functional theory method. It was shown that the preferred conformation of the guest molecule in endoclasters with 60 atoms (С₆₀, С₁₂B₂₄N₂₄, B₃₆N₂₄) corresponds to the 1,4-twist form, not to the expected chair. In case of fullerenes C₇₀ and C₈₀ conformational equilibrium is shifted to the chair, but the relative stability of 1,4-twist-form is higher in comparison with free 1.3-dioxane. Substitution carbon atoms of the last nanostructures by boron-nitrogen fragments again resulted in the dominance of 1,4-twist conformer. In all cases the molecule of 1,3-dioxane inside fullerenes has a notable electric charge and demonstrates a significant reduction in bond lengths.

Keywords:

• 1,3-dioxane
• fullerene
• endocomplex
• computer simulation
• conformer