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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Preparation and Characterization of C60/Graphene Hybrid Nanostructures
Published on: May 15, 2018
Gas-phase observation of multiply charged C60 anions
Vince Cammarata1, Tan Guo, Andreas Illies
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 179 New Chemistry Building, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5312, USA.
Abstract:
Gas-phase observation of C60(1-), C60(3-), and C60(4-) anions generated at platinum and gold electrodes and detected by electrochemical/electrospray mass spectrometry is reported. The anions were electrochemically generated from solutions of C60 dissolved in toluene/acetonitrile as well as from reduction of C60 films on gold electrode surfaces. The gas-phase observation of C60(3-) and C60(4-), despite the fact that they have negative electron affinities, is a result of a Coulombic barrier to electron loss. The fact that C60(2-) was not detected in these experiments is ascribed to its limited solubility under the reaction conditions. These studies, which demonstrate the gas-phase kinetic stability of C60(3-) and C60(4-), illustrate the promise of electrochemical/electrospray mass spectrometry for the study of metastable anions.
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