Computational study of enantioselective interaction between C60 fullerene and its derivatives with L-histidine.

The mechanism of the enantioselective binding of L-histidine with C(60) fullerene and its derivatives, (1,2-methanofullerene C(60))-61-carboxylic acid, diethyl (1,2-methanofullerene C(60))-61-61-dicarboxylate and tert-butyl (1,2-methanofullerene C(60))-61-carboxylate based chiral selectors was studied by quantum chemical calculations. All the molecules were fully optimized at RHF/6-31G* basis set. Relative energies between the different complexes were subsequently estimated with single-point electronic energies computed using Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). Stability and feasibility of all the generated structures were supported by their respective energy minima and fundamental frequencies. It was observed that interaction of fullerene derivatives with L-histidine is due to the existence of hydrogen bonding forces during the complex formation. The intermolecular forces, flow of atomic charges, binding energy, hardness, dipole moment and localization of electrostatic potential are in agreement with enantioselective interaction of L-histidine with C(60) fullerene and its derivatives. It is found that theoretical evaluation to be consistent with the experimental data.