Chemiluminescence in Ozonolysis of Solutions of Fullerene C 60

Abstract

We have discovered and studied chemiluminescence in ozone‐oxidation of the solutions of C60 in toluene, benzene, methylnaphthalene, tetrachloroethane, and CCl4 and photoluminescence of the products of ozonolysis. Irrespective of the nature of a solvent, the chemiluminescence and photoluminescence are attributed to radiation (λmax = 660 nm at maximum brightness of luminescence) of fullerene polyketones O=C60=[O] m (m = 1–19). The visually observed fluorescence of polyketones is much brighter than the well‐known fluorescence of C60 and of the majority of its derivatives. A hypsochromic shift of the maxima of the chemiluminescence spectra with increase in the time of ozonolysis is discovered, which is associated with decrease in the effect of the system of conjugated C=C bonds of the skeleton of C60 on radiating chromophore C=O*. Reactions with participation of oxofullerencarbonyloxide, i.e., intermediates of the ozonolysis of fullerene, are presumed as luminous stages of chemiluminescence.