Search for the most stable Ca@C44 isomer: structural stability and electronic property investigations.

Stimulated by the mass spectroscopic observation of the metallofullerene Ca@C(44), we have performed a systematic investigation to search for the most stable isomer using HF/3-21G approximately LanL2DZ, HF/6-31+G(d), B3LYP/6-31+G(d), and MP2/6-31+G(d)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) methods. The Ca@C(44) (D(2):53) isomer with eight adjacent pentagons in the fullerene framework is predicted to possess the lowest energy. The thermodynamics stability explorations of Ca@C(44) isomers at different temperatures show that Ca@C(44) (D(2):53) is the most thermodynamically stable in the temperature range of absolute zero to 4000 K. The encapsulation of Ca atom in C(44) fullerene is exothermic, and the electronic structure of Ca@C(44) (D(2):53) can be described formally as Ca(2+)@C(44) (2-). Further analysis on the frontier molecular orbitals and density of states of Ca@C(44) (D(2):53) suggests that both highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital are carbonlike with low Ca character, and the carbon cage possesses high chemical activity. In addition, the vibrational spectrum of Ca@C(44) (D(2):53) has been simulated and analyzed to gain an insight into the metal-cage vibrations.