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.