Question

Which of the following statements is/are true about the structure of fullerene (Buckminster fullerene)?

• A. All the carbon atoms undergo $s{p}^2$ hybridisation
• B. Remaining fourth electron at each carbon is delocalised in molecular orbitals which in turn gives aromatic character to molecule
• C. It has a shape like rugby ball
• D. It contains both single and double bonds and has two $C-C$ distances of $143.5pm$ and $138.3pm$ respectively

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (D)

The correct options are

B

All the carbon atoms undergo sp2sp^{2}$s{p}^2$ hybridisation

C

It contains both single and double bonds and has two $C-C$ distances of $143.5pm$ and $138.3pm$ respectively

The fullerene, $C_{60}$, consists of fused five and six-membered carbon rings. Each six-membered ring is surrounded, alternately, by hexagons and pentagons of carbons; each pentagon is fused to five hexagons. The consequence of this structural motif is that each hexagon is like the base of a bowl; the three pentagons fused to this ring, linked by hexagons, force the structure to curve results in a dome-like structure that eventually curves around on itself to give a structure resembling a sphere. The shape of fullerene$C_{60}$, resembles a soccer ball.

Buck minster fullerene is a type of fullerene with the formula $C_{60}$
. It has a cage-like fused structure that resembles a soccer ball, made of twenty hexagons and twelve pentagons. All the carbon atoms undergo $s{p}^2$ hybridization.

It contains both single and double bonds and has two $C-C$ distances of $143.5pm$and $138.3pm$ respectively.

It has a shape like a rugby ball.