Endohedral encapsulation of lithium in C-70

Abstract

A new diatomic molecule-containing endohedral fullerenes were prepared by ion implantation technique (introducing negatively charged C-70 into a low temperature lithium plasma column by a strong exial magnetic field). The species prepared were Li"C-70 and Li-2"C-70 and ionized by surface ionization. Their existance was demonstrated through high sensitivity, magnetic mass spectrometer. The corresponding endohedral ions undergo the Rice shrinkwrap mechanism: a mass -analyzed ion spectrum demonstrates the loss of a C-2 unit from the cage. The observed ionization energies of endohedral molecules were 5.1 for all 0.1 eV and 5.3 for all 0.1 eV, respectively.