Trifluoromethylation of [60]- and [70]fullerene in the ionization chamber of a mass spectrometer

Both [60]- and [70]fullerene react with either the Scherer radical (perfluorodiisopropylethylmethyl, C9F19), a mixture of branched perfluorononenes (C9F18, the product of hexafluoropropene trimerization), or beta-fluorosulphatotetrafluoroethyldiheptafluorisopropylmethyl radical (C9P18OSO2F) in the ionization chamber of a mass spectrometer to give the positive parent ions of trifluoromethylation products, the reaction being accompanied by hydrogen addition. The reaction occurs at least partly on the walls of the ionization chamber, by a radical mechanism employing CF3 radicals formed from the radical reactants both thermally and under electron impact; only the latter route occurs with the perfluorononenes.