Chirality: Problems

Problem 5/9
 

Find all elements of symmetry and the point group of the famous soccer-like molecule C60 (buckminsterfullerene). Is C60 chiral or achiral?


enlarge, mirror image

As usual with fullerenes, we left out the delocalized double bonds.

symmetry elements:
   C2    C3    C4    C5
   C6    C        i
   S4    S6    S8
point group:
 C2  C2v  C5  C5h  C6
 C6h  Cs  Ci  D2  D2d
 D2h  D5  D5d  D5h  D6
 D6h  other
chirality:
 chiral  achiral









 
 
  (c) Lehrstuhl für Mathematik II Universität Bayreuth