INVERSION SPLITTINGS AND REDUCTION FACTORS FOR THE H-CIRCLE-TIMES(H-CIRCLE-PLUS-G) JAHN-TELLER SYSTEM

The HX(h+g) Jahn-Teller (JT) problem in icosahedral symmetry is analys ed up to linear terms in the hamiltonian using an analytical unitary-t ransformation method. This unitary transformation results in states wh ich are automatically vibronic, removing the need to multiply electron ic states by displaced simple harmonic oscillator functions. Minima on the energy surface of D-5d and D-3d symmetry are found, and the dynam ic JT problem is solved for the case of D-3d minima by introducing tun neling between different minima. Projection-operator techniques are us ed to find the required symmetrized tunneling states, allowing the cor responding inversion splitting and reduction factors to be calculated. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) in the fullerene C-60 i s of H symmetry, so that the work presented here represents a possible model for the ground state of the cation C-60(+).