The stability of singly and multiply charged La@C 80 and La@C 82 ions determined from kinetic energy release measurements

Abstract

We have measured the kinetic energy release distributions for unimolecular C 2 loss from singly and multiply charged endohedral La@C 80 z+ and La@C 80 z+ ions for charge states z = 1–3. Using finite heat bath theory, we deduce the dissociation energies for loss of C 2. The charge state z has no statistically significant effect on the dissociation energies. The dissociation energies of endohedral fullerene ions are larger than those of the corresponding empty fullerene ions by a few tenths of an electron volt, but the differences are barely statistically significant. The small differences also imply that the complexation energies of La@C n z+ and La@C n − 2 z+ are identical within the experimental errors, for n = 80 and 82 and all charge states.