ChemInform Abstract: Mass Spectroscopic and ESR Characterization of Soluble Yttrium- Containing Metallofullerenes YC82 and Y2C82.

Abstract

Solvent soluble, yttrium-containing fullerenes are extracted from yttrium/carbon soot produced by the carbon-arc fullerene generation method. An yttrium-graphite composite yields solvent extractable molecules such as YC{sub 82} and Y{sub 2}C{sub 82} as evidenced by a laser desorption time-of-flight (LD-TOF) mass spectroscopic analysis of the extracts. This is consistent with the very recent results by Smalley et al. where YC{sub 82} and Y{sub 2}C{sub 82} are prepared by laser vaporization of yttrium-graphite rods. The present extracts are souble by both toluene and carbon disulfide, but the solubility is much higher is CS{sub 2} than toluene. LD-TOF mass spectra also show the presence of a series of peaks due to the dimetallofullerens Y{sub 2}C{sub 2n}(2n = 84; 90 {le} 2n {le}140). The metallofullerenes YC{sub 60} and YC{sub 70} are not observed in the mildest possible LD conditions under which YC{sub 82} and the dimetallofullerenes Y{sub 2}C{sub 82} and Y{sub 2}C{sub 2n} are readily observed. ESR spectral results are also reported for the present yttrium-fullerene complexes and indicate the charge separation state of Y{sup 3+}C{sub 82}{sup 3-} as has been found for La{sup 3+}C{sub 82}{sup 3-} by Johnson et. al. 13 refs., 4 figs.