Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.109, No.12, 5403-5405, 2005
Synthesis of C59Hx and C58Hx fullerenes stabilized by hydrogen
Prolonged hydrogenation Of C-60 molecules by reaction with H-2 at elevated temperature and pressure results in fragmentation and collapse of the fullerene cage structure. However, fragments can be preserved by immediate termination of dangling bonds by hydrogen. Here we demonstrate that not only fullerene fragments but also hydrogenated fragmented fullerenes (e.g., C58H40 and C59H40) can be synthesized in bulk amount by high- temperature hydrogenation Of C-60. We confirm successful synthesis of these species by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and complete speciation of the resultant complex fullerene mixtures by high-resolution field desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.