Question

Which of the following statment is correct for Buckminsterfullerene $C_{60}$ :

• A. A six-membered ring is fused with six or five membered rings whereas five membered ring can only fuse with six membered rings
• B. Both six-membered ring and five membered ring are fused with only five membered rings.
• C. A five-membered ring is fused with six or five membered rings whereas six membered ring can only fuse with five membered rings
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is A A six-membered ring is fused with six or five membered rings whereas five membered ring can only fuse with six membered rings

In a Buckminsterfullerene $C_{60}$ :
It contains 20 six-membered rings and 12 five-membered rings
A six-membered ring is fused with six or five membered rings whereas five membered ring can only fuse with six membered rings.

THEORY

Fullerenes
$\text{Graphite}\underset{\text{With inert gas (He or Ar)}}{\overset{\text{electric arc}}{\to }}\text{Fullerene}$
The sooty material formed by condensation of vaporized Cn small molecules consists of mainly $C_{60}$ with smaller quantity of C70 and traces of fullerenes consisting of even number of carbon atoms up to 350 or above.

• It is third form of carbon known as fullerenes was discovered by H.W. Kroto, E Smalley and R.F. Curl in 1985
• Fullerenes are the only pure form of carbon because they have smooth structure without having ‘dangling’ bonds.
• Fullerene are cage like molecules.
• $C_{60}$ molecule has shape like a soccer ball and is called Buckminsterfullerene.
• Spherical fullerenes are also called bucky balls in short.
• It contains 20 six-membered rings and 12 five-membered rings.
• A six-membered ring is fused with six or five membered rings.
• Five membered rings can only fuse with six membered rings.
• All the carbon atoms are identical and undergo $s{p}^2$ hybridization.
• Each carbon atom forms three sigma bonds with other three carbon atoms.
• The remaining electron at each carbon atom is delocalized in molecular orbitals, which gives aromatic character to the molecule.
• This ball shaped molecule has 60 vertices and each one is occupied by one carbon atom.
• It contains both single and double bonds with C-C distance of 143.5 pm and 138.3 pm.
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