Breaking of Icosahedral Symmetry: C (60) to C (70)

We describe the existence and structure of large fullerenes in terms of symmetry breaking of the [Image: see text] molecule. Specifically, we describe the existence of [Image: see text] in terms of breaking of the icosahedral symmetry of [Image: see text] by the insertion into its middle of an additional [Image: see text] decagon. The surface of [Image: see text] is formed by 12 regular pentagons and 25 regular hexagons. All 105 edges of [Image: see text] are of the same length. It should be noted that the structure of the molecules is described in exact coordinates relative to the non-orthogonal icosahedral bases. This symmetry breaking process can be readily applied, and could account for and describe other larger cage cluster fullerene molecules, as well as more complex higher structures such as nanotubes.