From major to minor and back—a decisive assessment of C60H36 with respect to the Birch reduction of C60

Abstract

Hydrogenated fullerenes derived from the Birch reduction and from hydrogen transfer reduction of [60]fullerene have been examined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization; applying 9-nitroanthracene as the matrix, it has been possible to desorb and ionise the samples with such a low degree of fragmentation as to enable the establishment of the amount of hydrogen bound to the fullerene; in contrast to the currently assumed polyhydrofullerene distribution featuring C60H36 only as a minor component, evidence has been obtained which re-establishes C60H36 as the major product of the Birch reduction.