AMI Computations on C59: Significant Eight- and Nine-Membered Rings

C59 is computed by the AMI method as a particular, experimentally known odd fullerene, 19 isomers being treated. New rules are reported for the pentagon/hexagon pattern, and structures with other types of rings are considered, too. A part of the isomers is derived from the lowest known isomer of C58- The supposed ground-state structure of C59 contains an eight-membered ring, while the next lowest one possesses a nine-membered ring. The C59 ground state exceeds C60 in heat of formation per particle by about 10.4 kJ/mol/atom. The ground-state species should prevail in the C59 equilibrium isomeric mixture even at high temperatures.