IR, NIR, and UV Absorption Spectroscopy of C60(2+) and C60(3+) in Neon Matrixes.
C60(2+) and C60(3+) were produced by electron-impact ionization of sublimed C60 and charge-state-selectively codeposited onto a gold mirror substrate held at 5 K together with neon matrix gas containing a few percent of the electron scavengers CO2 or CCl4. This procedure limits charge-changing of the incident fullerene projectiles during matrix isolation. IR, NIR, and UV-vis spectra were then measured. Ten IR absorptions of C60(2+) were identified. C60(3+) was observed to absorb in the NIR region close to the known vibronic bands of C60(+). UV spectra of C60, C60(+), and C60(2+) were almost indistinguishable, consistent with a plasmon-like nature of their UV absorptions. The measurements were supported by DFT and TDDFT calculations, revealing that C60(2+) has a singlet D5d ground state whereas C60(3+) forms a doublet of Ci symmetry. The new results may be of interest regarding the presence of C60(2+) and C60(3+) in space.
Institute of Physical Chemistry II, KIT, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Bastian
B
Kern
Institute of Physical Chemistry II, KIT, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Dmitry
D
Strelnikov
Institute of Physical Chemistry II, KIT, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Patrick
P
Weis
Institute of Physical Chemistry II, KIT, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Artur
A
Böttcher
Institute of Physical Chemistry II, KIT, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Manfred M
MM
Kappes
electronic absorptions; fullerene; infrared; interstellar matter; interstellar molecules; ions; matrix isolation