Because of the high symmetry involved, the Jahn-Teller effect is the natural starting point for considering electron-phonon (or vibronic) interactions in icosahedral molecules. This work is the first comprehensive theoretical analysis of the Jahn-Teller interaction in C60 and other icosahedral complexes. The importance of this research derives in part from the increasing, widespread interest in C60 and other molecular clusters and their application in science and industry. The electrical and spectroscopic properties of fullerene and fulleride compounds depend intimately on the...