New Isolated-Pentagon-Rule Isomers of Fullerene C₉₈ Captured as Chloro Derivatives

Fullerene C98 possesses 259 isomers obeying the isolated pentagon rule (IPR), from which two, nos. 116 and 248, have been confirmed earlier as chloro derivatives. High-temperature chlorination of C98-containing mixtures afforded crystals of several chloro derivatives, and their structure elucidation by X-ray crystallography revealed the presence of new isomers, nos. 107, 109, and 120, in the fullerene soot. Evidence for an isomer of no. 111 is also presented. In addition, a new chloride of the known isomer 248 has been isolated and structurally studied. The chlorination patterns of the chlorides are discussed in terms of the formation of isolated CC bonds and aromatic substructures on the fullerene cages.