Formation of Cobalt−C₆₀ Clusters: Tricapped Co(C₆₀)₃ Unit

Abstract

Cobalt (Co)−C60 mixed clusters were produced by the combination of laser vaporization and molecular beam methods. Cationic Con(C60)m+ clusters were produced predominantly with the compositions (n, m) = (0−1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (2−4, 4), and (5, 5). Both mass spectrometry and a chemical probe method have revealed that compositions of (1, 3) and (4, 4) correspond to a tricapped planar structure and a tricapped trigonal pyramid structure, respectively, in which each Co atom is surrounded by three C60.