Fullerenes patched by flowers with octagonal core

The aromatic character of three different flowers of general formula [n:(p i,p j)n/2], namely [8:(5,7)4], [8:(6,6)4] and [8:(5,6)4], has been evaluated by means of geometric (HOMA index), energetic (heats of formation) and magnetic criteria (NICS index, exaltation of magnetic susceptibility). Also, the reactivity descriptors within the DFT approach -absolute hardness, electrophilicity, Fukui functions — have been computed. All the different methods used for estimating the aromaticity led to a unitary conclusion. Two fullerene structures, patched by the most stable 8-Sumanene flower, have been designed and evaluated by means of ab initio computations