Preparation and Oxidation of Metallofullerenes Containing Praseodymium

Abstract
Metallofullerenes containing praseodymium (Pr) were prepared by contact-arc vaporization of a graphite/ Pr2O3 composite rod. In addition to the pure fullerenes, a series of stable monopraseodymium-fullerene complexes such as PrC60, PrC74 and PrC82 were observed by mass spectrometry. In soot kept in air for eight months, metallofullerene oxide, PrC82O, was also observed. The intensity ratio of PrC82O to PrC82 was found to be larger than that of C60O to C60. This suggests that the PrC82 is more easily spontaneously oxidized than the pure fullerenes, due to its charge-transfer structure.

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