On the Radical Cation Spectra of Fullerenes and Fulleranes. Part 2: C₆₀H₃₆, C₇₀H₃₈, C₆₀H₁₈ and C₆₀H_x/C₇₀H_y Mixture

Abstract

A series of fulleranes, namely C₆₀H₃₆, C₇₀H₃₈, C₆₀H₁₈ and a mixture of hydrogenated fullerenes composed by 77% C₆₀H_x and 22% C₇₀H_y, were dissolved in oleum (fuming sulfuric acid) in order to record the radical cation spectra of these molecules. Surprisingly, it was found that the fulleranes spectra in oleum corresponded to the radical cation spectra of pristine C₆₀ and C₇₀ fullerenes. Therefore, it was concluded that the fulleranes in a high ionizing and oxidizing medium such as oleum are dehydrogenated and oxidized to C₆₀ ^+• and C₇₀ ^+•. The prolonged contact with oleum leads to multiple sulfonation of the radical cations.

Keywords:

• Fulleranes
• hydrogenated fullerenes
• oleum
• fuming sulfuric
• radical cation
• spectroscopy

Acknowledgment

The present research work has been supported by grant AYA2007-64748 Expte. NG-014-10 of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion.